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Last year, star Jude Law stated he had no concerns about backlash for portraying the Russian leader in a cinematic adaptation. This production, however, may align so closely with the mythologized version circulated by Russian state media that, within Russia, it functions as a compliment instead of a critique.

The Manufactured Superhero

Over a long period, the Russian political apparatus and its pop-culture machine have collaborated to forge a tailor-made version of Putin. This character is a political superhero devoid of flaws, a former spy reframed as a Russian James Bond who consistently understands beyond what he shows.

“In Russia, the manufactured Putin has long overshadowed the real one.”

Cinematic Reinforcement

A notable instance is a TV series launched last October, helmed by a Kremlin supporter. The protagonist is a fictional security officer inexplicably chosen to “rescue” the nation from chaos. While he is called a different name, the message is unmistakable: the hero must be a known figure from the secret services.

International depictions often end up reinforcing this identical story instead of undercutting it. A new film based on a popular book aims to subvert the leader's mythology by framing him as a symptom but as a symptom, shifting the focus to the spin doctors surrounding him.

The Fable of the Hesitant President

On screen, the president is shown as having been chosen by powerful oligarchs to stabilise the country because he is “a fit former intelligence agent”. The oligarchs approach him and practically plead him to become president. He replies is that he would rather govern from the shadows, seeking enduring influence.

This narrative is the Kremlin’s export myth: the detached, unwilling mastermind shaped by destiny. Historically, these events ever happened.

The Truth Behind the Selection

No one ever begged Putin to take the job. The position was in essence a selection process with no shortage of contenders. At the centre to this process stood a powerful businessman from the Yeltsin era who expected to run the country in practice.

• His list featured various figures, including an opposition leader later murdered and a security service director.
• Per an expert who researched Putin’s biography, the chosen candidate simply fitted the necessary criteria: obedient, from the intelligence world, and politically neutral.
• A property developer familiar with the process stated the key criterion was manageability and loyalty, not strength.

“The goal wasn't a powerful leader, they needed someone malleable, someone who would obey orders.”

Constructing the Spy Legend

Analysts concur that the notion of Putin as a powerful KGB spy was constructed retrospectively. Stories about his “recruitment work” in Dresden do not stand up to scrutiny. In essence, he was an administrator and routine duties, a low-level clerk not engaged in actual agent work.

Curiously, the move to depicting him as a “spy” may in part have been triggered by Daniel Craig’s arrival as James Bond. The grittier version led local outlets and social media to make comparisons with Putin. Edited images replacing the actor's likeness with Putin’s appeared on city centers, feeding the growing tendency to see him as a Russian 007.

A Diplomatic Opportunity?

With Jude Law, an star popular with Russian audiences, the Kremlin are likely to seize the chance to portray this choice as a minor diplomatic triumph. The film's omission of public dissent, the opposition, or prominent activists in the story, despite covering recent years, is a welcome aspect for state propaganda.

Domestically, Putin is frequently an all-powerful presence who remains unseen on screen. He is hinted at through photographs or calls “from above”. In this new film, he at last gets a recognizable face—one that may inadvertently validate the exact legends it perhaps aims to examine.