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Last year, star Jude Law stated he “didn’t fear any repercussions” for portraying Vladimir Putin in a new film. This production, however, may align so closely with the mythologized image promoted by Russian state media that, within Russia, it functions as a compliment rather than a challenge.

The Crafted Superhero

For years, the Kremlin and the country's entertainment industry have worked together to craft a made-to-measure version of Putin. This character is a political superhero devoid of flaws, an ex-intelligence officer reimagined as a Russian James Bond who consistently understands more than he reveals.

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

Screen-Based Support

One recent example is a television show released last October, directed by a pro-government filmmaker. The protagonist is a fictional security officer inexplicably chosen to “save” the nation from chaos. Although he is called Mikhail, the implication is unmistakable: the hero must be a known figure from the secret services.

Western portrayals often end up reinforcing this identical story rather than debunking it. An adaptation inspired by a popular book sets out to subvert the leader's mythology by presenting him as a symptom but as a symptom, moving the narrative weight to the political machinery around him.

The Fable of the Hesitant President

On screen, Putin is presented as having been chosen by powerful oligarchs to stabilise the country because he is “young, athletic and a spy”. The oligarchs approach him and practically plead him to take the top job. His response is that he would rather govern from the shadows, seeking permanent power.

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

The Truth Behind the Selection

No one actually pleaded with Putin to accept the role. The presidency was effectively a selection process with many candidates. Central to the selection stood a powerful businessman from the Yeltsin era who planned to control the country de facto.

• His list included various figures, including a reformer subsequently assassinated and a security service director.
• According to a journalist who studied his rise, the future president merely met the required parameters: obedient, from the security services, and politically neutral.
• A businessman familiar with the events said the key criterion was manageability and faithfulness, not strength.

“The goal wasn't a strong candidate, they needed someone controllable, someone who would obey orders.”

Building the 007 Persona

Experts agree that the notion of Putin as a powerful KGB spy was built after the fact. Stories about his clandestine activities in Dresden do not stand up to scrutiny. In essence, he handled paperwork and technical tasks, a low-level clerk not involved with field operations.

Curiously, the move to depicting him as a “spy” could partly have been inspired by the actor's arrival as 007. The grittier interpretation prompted local outlets and online audiences to make comparisons with Putin. Edited images swapping Craig’s face with his surfaced on Moscow streets, feeding the increasing trend to frame him as a local secret agent.

A Diplomatic Opportunity?

With Jude Law, an actor popular with Russian audiences, the authorities are likely to seize the opportunity to portray this choice as a small victory. Its omission of public dissent, the political rivals, or prominent activists in the story, despite covering recent years, is a welcome aspect for state propaganda.

In Russian cinema, Putin is often an all-powerful presence who never appears directly. He is hinted at through photographs or calls “from above”. In this new film, he at last gets a famous actor's visage—one that could unintentionally echo the very myths it perhaps aims to examine.