🔗 Share this article

In a recent appearance, star Jude Law stated he “didn’t fear any repercussions” for portraying the Russian leader in a new film. The movie, however, may align so closely with the carefully constructed version promoted by official channels that, domestically, it reads as a compliment instead of a critique.

The Manufactured Strongman

For years, the Kremlin and its entertainment industry have collaborated to craft a made-to-measure persona of the president. This character is an infallible strategist devoid of flaws, an ex-intelligence officer reframed 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 Kremlin supporter. The protagonist is a fictional security officer selected by fate to “rescue” Russia from chaos. Although he is called a different name, the implication is unmistakable: the hero must be a familiar security officer.

International depictions often end up buttressing this same narrative instead of undercutting it. An adaptation inspired by a bestselling satirical novel aims to subvert the leader's mythology by framing him as a symptom but as a symptom, moving the narrative weight to the spin doctors around him.

The Fable of the Hesitant President

In the film, 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 become president. He replies is that he would rather govern from the background, desiring enduring influence.

This narrative is a key piece of state propaganda: the cool, reluctant strategist shaped by destiny. Historically, these events ever happened.

The Reality of the Casting Call

Nobody actually pleaded with Putin to take the job. The presidency was effectively a selection process with many contenders. Central to the selection stood a powerful businessman from the Yeltsin era who expected to run the country in practice.

• His list featured several politicians, including an opposition leader subsequently assassinated and a security service director.
• Per a journalist who studied his rise, the chosen candidate simply fitted the required parameters: obedient, from the security services, and not a communist or a liberal.
• A businessman familiar with the events stated the primary requirement was manageability and faithfulness, not leadership.

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

Building the 007 Persona

Experts agree that the notion of Putin as a master operative was built after the fact. Claims about his clandestine activities in East Germany do not stand up to scrutiny. Fundamentally, he was an administrator and routine duties, a mid-level functionary not involved with field operations.

Curiously, the shift to framing him as a “007” could partly have been inspired by Daniel Craig’s debut as 007. His harder version prompted local outlets and online audiences to make comparisons with Putin. Edited images swapping Craig’s face with his appeared on city centers, feeding the increasing trend to frame him as a Russian 007.

A Diplomatic Opportunity?

With Jude Law, an actor popular with Russian audiences, the Kremlin will not miss the chance to frame his casting as a minor diplomatic triumph. The film's omission of public dissent, the opposition, or prominent activists in the story, despite covering the past decade, is a pleasant bonus for state propaganda.

In Russian cinema, Putin is often an all-powerful presence who never appears directly. His influence is signaled through photographs or orders from on high. Now, he at last gets a recognizable face—one that may inadvertently echo the exact legends it might seek to examine.