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In a recent appearance, star Jude Law remarked he “didn’t fear any repercussions” for portraying Vladimir Putin in a cinematic adaptation. The movie, though, could coincide too neatly with the mythologized version promoted by Russian state media that, domestically, it reads as a compliment rather than a critique.

The Crafted Superhero

For years, the Russian political apparatus and the country's entertainment industry have collaborated to craft a made-to-measure version of the president. This figure is an infallible strategist devoid of flaws, a former spy reframed as a Russian James Bond who always knows more than he reveals.

“Domestically, the manufactured Putin has long eclipsed the actual person.”

Screen-Based Support

One recent example is a TV series released last October, helmed by a pro-government filmmaker. Its main character is a fictional blue-eyed lieutenant colonel inexplicably chosen to “save” Russia from chaos. While he is called a different name, the message is clear: the savior must be a familiar security officer.

Western portrayals frequently result in reinforcing this same narrative rather than debunking it. An adaptation based on a popular book aims to subvert the Putin cult by presenting him not as a cause but as a symptom, moving the narrative weight to the political machinery surrounding him.

The Fable of the Hesitant President

On screen, the president is presented as having been chosen by powerful oligarchs to stabilise the nation because he is “young, athletic and a spy”. The oligarchs approach him and practically plead him to take the top job. He replies is that he would rather govern from the background, desiring enduring influence.

This narrative is the Kremlin’s export myth: the cool, reluctant strategist guided by fate. In reality, these events took place.

The Truth Behind the Selection

No one actually pleaded with him to accept the role. The presidency was in essence a selection process with no shortage of contenders. At the centre to this process stood an influential oligarch from the Yeltsin era who planned to control the state in practice.

• The shortlist featured various figures, among them a reformer subsequently assassinated and a security service director.
• According to an expert who studied his rise, the chosen candidate merely met the required parameters: loyal, from the intelligence world, and not a communist or a liberal.
• A businessman close to the events stated the primary requirement was manageability and loyalty, not strength.

“The goal wasn't a strong candidate, they needed someone malleable, someone who would follow instructions.”

Building the 007 Persona

Experts agree that the notion of him as a powerful KGB spy was constructed retrospectively. Stories about his clandestine activities in Dresden do not stand up to scrutiny. Fundamentally, he was an administrator and routine duties, a mid-level functionary not involved with field operations.

Interestingly, the shift to depicting him as a “007” could partly have been triggered by the actor's debut as 007. The grittier interpretation prompted local outlets and social media to draw visual parallels with their leader. Mashup posters replacing Craig’s face with his appeared on city centers, fueling the growing tendency to frame him as a local secret agent.

A Propaganda Win?

With Jude Law, an actor popular with Russian audiences, the authorities are likely to seize the opportunity to frame his casting as a minor diplomatic triumph. The film's omission of public dissent, the political rivals, or key figures in the story, despite covering the past decade, is a welcome aspect for state propaganda.

Domestically, the president is often an omnipotent figure who remains unseen directly. His influence is hinted at through portraits or orders from on high. Now, he at last gets a recognizable face—one that could unintentionally echo the exact legends it might seek to examine.