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Last year, star Jude Law remarked he had no concerns about backlash for portraying the Russian leader in a new film. This production, though, may align so closely with the mythologized version promoted by Russian state media that, domestically, it functions as a endorsement instead of a challenge.

The Crafted Superhero

For years, the Russian political apparatus and the country's entertainment industry have collaborated to forge a tailor-made persona of Putin. This character is a political superhero devoid of flaws, an ex-intelligence officer reframed as a local 007 who always knows more than he reveals.

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

Screen-Based Support

A notable instance is a television show released last fall, directed by a Kremlin supporter. Its main character is a fictional blue-eyed lieutenant colonel inexplicably chosen to “rescue” Russia from chaos. Although he is called Mikhail, the implication is unmistakable: the savior must be a known figure from the secret services.

Western portrayals often end up buttressing this same narrative instead of undercutting it. A new film based on a bestselling satirical novel sets out to subvert the Putin cult by framing him not as a cause but as a consequence, moving the narrative weight to the political machinery around him.

The Myth of the Reluctant Leader

On screen, Putin is presented as having been chosen by influential figures to stabilise the country because he is “a fit former intelligence agent”. The oligarchs approach him and all but beg him to take the top job. He replies is that he would rather govern from the background, desiring permanent power.

This narrative is the Kremlin’s export myth: the detached, unwilling mastermind guided by fate. Historically, none of this ever happened.

The Reality of the Casting Call

Nobody actually pleaded with him to accept the role. The presidency was in essence a selection process with many candidates. At the centre to the selection stood an influential oligarch from the Yeltsin era who expected to run the country in practice.

• His list featured various figures, including a reformer subsequently assassinated and a security service director.
• According to a journalist who studied Putin’s biography, the chosen candidate simply fitted the required parameters: loyal, from the security services, and not a communist or a liberal.
• A businessman close to the process said the primary requirement was manageability and faithfulness, not strength.

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

Building the 007 Persona

Analysts concur that the image of Putin as a powerful KGB spy was constructed retrospectively. Stories about his “recruitment work” in East Germany do not stand up to scrutiny. Fundamentally, he handled paperwork and technical tasks, a mid-level functionary not engaged in field operations.

Interestingly, the shift to depicting him as a “007” may in part have been triggered by the actor's debut as James Bond. His harder version led local outlets and online audiences to make comparisons with their leader. Edited images swapping the actor's likeness with his surfaced on Moscow streets, fueling the growing tendency to see him as a local secret agent.

A Propaganda Win?

Given the casting, an actor popular with viewers there, the authorities will not miss the opportunity to frame his casting as a small victory. Its exclusion of public dissent, the political rivals, or key figures in the story, even though it includes recent years, is a welcome aspect for official messaging.

In Russian cinema, the president is often an all-powerful presence who remains unseen on screen. He is hinted at through portraits or orders from on high. In this new film, he finally acquires a famous actor's visage—one that could unintentionally echo the very myths it perhaps aims to question.