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Last year, actor Jude Law remarked he had no concerns about backlash for portraying the Russian leader in a cinematic adaptation. This production, though, could coincide too neatly with the mythologized image circulated by official channels that, within Russia, it reads as a compliment instead of a challenge.

The Crafted Superhero

Over a long period, the Kremlin and its entertainment industry have collaborated to forge a tailor-made version of Putin. This figure is a political superhero without age or mistakes, an ex-intelligence officer reframed as a Russian James Bond who consistently understands more than he reveals.

“In Russia, the constructed Putin has long eclipsed the real one.”

Cinematic Reinforcement

One recent example is a TV series launched last fall, directed by a Kremlin supporter. The protagonist is a fictional blue-eyed lieutenant colonel selected by fate to “save” the nation from chaos. Although he is called a different name, the message is unmistakable: the savior must be a known figure from the secret services.

Western portrayals frequently result in buttressing this identical story instead of debunking it. An adaptation inspired by a bestselling satirical novel aims to subvert the leader's mythology by presenting him as a symptom but as a consequence, moving the focus to the spin doctors surrounding him.

The Myth of the Reluctant Leader

In the film, the president is presented as having been picked by powerful oligarchs to stabilise the country because he is “a fit former intelligence agent”. They visit him and all but beg him to take the top job. His response is that he would prefer to rule from the shadows, desiring permanent power.

This narrative is a key piece of state propaganda: the cool, reluctant strategist guided by fate. In reality, none of this took place.

The Reality of the Casting Call

Nobody ever begged Putin to accept the role. The position was effectively a casting call with no shortage of contenders. Central to the selection stood an influential oligarch from the Yeltsin era who expected to run the state de facto.

• His list featured several politicians, including an opposition leader later murdered and a security service director.
• Per an expert who researched Putin’s biography, the future president simply fitted the required parameters: obedient, from the security services, and not a communist or a liberal.
• A property developer familiar with the process said the primary requirement was manageability and loyalty, not leadership.

“They didn’t need a strong candidate, they needed someone malleable, someone who would follow instructions.”

Building the 007 Persona

Analysts concur that the image of him as a powerful KGB spy was built after the fact. Claims about his clandestine activities in East Germany do not stand up to scrutiny. In essence, he handled paperwork and routine duties, a mid-level functionary not engaged in actual agent work.

Curiously, the move to depicting him as a “007” may in part have been inspired by the actor's debut as 007. The grittier version prompted Russian media and online audiences to make comparisons with their leader. Mashup posters replacing Craig’s face with Putin’s surfaced on city centers, fueling the increasing trend to see him as a Russian 007.

A Diplomatic Opportunity?

With Jude Law, an actor well-liked by viewers there, the Kremlin will not miss the opportunity to portray this choice as a small victory. The film's exclusion of public dissent, the opposition, or key figures from its narrative, even though it includes the past decade, is a welcome aspect for official messaging.

In Russian cinema, the president is frequently an omnipotent figure who never appears directly. His influence is signaled through portraits or calls “from above”. Now, he at last gets a recognizable face—one that may inadvertently validate the very myths it perhaps aims to question.