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Last year, star Jude Law remarked he “didn’t fear any repercussions” for portraying Vladimir Putin in a cinematic adaptation. The movie, though, could coincide so closely with the mythologized image circulated by official channels that, domestically, it functions as a compliment rather than a challenge.

The Manufactured Superhero

For years, the Russian political apparatus and the country's entertainment industry have worked together to forge a made-to-measure version of Putin. This figure is an infallible strategist devoid of flaws, an ex-intelligence officer reimagined as a Russian James Bond who always knows beyond what he shows.

“In Russia, the manufactured Putin has long overshadowed the actual person.”

Cinematic Reinforcement

A notable instance is a television show launched last fall, directed by a pro-government filmmaker. The protagonist is a fictional security officer selected by fate to “rescue” the nation from chaos. Although he is called Mikhail, the message is unmistakable: the hero must be a known figure from the secret services.

Western portrayals frequently result in reinforcing this same narrative rather than undercutting it. An adaptation based on a bestselling satirical novel aims to undermine the Putin cult by framing him as a symptom but as a symptom, shifting the narrative weight to the spin doctors around him.

The Myth of the Reluctant Leader

In the film, the president 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 become president. His response is that he would rather govern from the background, desiring permanent power.

This narrative is the Kremlin’s export myth: the cool, reluctant strategist shaped by destiny. Historically, these events took place.

The Reality of the Casting Call

Nobody actually pleaded with Putin to take the job. The position was in essence a selection process with many contenders. At the centre to the selection stood a powerful businessman from the Yeltsin era who expected to run the state de facto.

• The shortlist featured several politicians, among them a reformer later murdered and a security service director.
• According to an expert who studied his rise, the chosen candidate simply fitted the necessary criteria: obedient, from the security services, and politically neutral.
• A businessman familiar with the process said the key criterion 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

Analysts concur that the notion of Putin as a master operative was constructed retrospectively. Claims about his “recruitment work” in East Germany do not stand up to scrutiny. In essence, he handled paperwork and routine duties, a mid-level functionary not involved with field operations.

Curiously, the move to depicting him as a “spy” could partly have been triggered by the actor's debut as James Bond. The grittier version led local outlets and online audiences to make comparisons with their leader. Edited images replacing Craig’s face with his appeared on Moscow streets, feeding the increasing trend to see him as a local secret agent.

A Diplomatic Opportunity?

With Jude Law, an star popular with viewers there, the authorities will not miss the opportunity to frame his casting as a minor diplomatic triumph. Its exclusion of mass protests, the political rivals, or key figures from its narrative, even though it includes recent years, is a pleasant bonus for state propaganda.

In Russian cinema, the president is often an omnipotent figure who never appears directly. His influence is signaled through photographs or calls “from above”. In this new film, he at last gets a recognizable face—one that could unintentionally echo the exact legends it might seek to examine.