PHANTOM: COVERT OPS - General Zhurov
General Nikolai Zhurov is the main antagonist of Phantom: Covert Ops. A tyrannical Rebel General whose past is intertwined with the history of the Phantom unit.
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Zhurov was brought to life through the amazing performance of David Hayter (VO - Solid Snake) who notably revels in the opportunity to play the Villain.
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In 1962, Zhurov, a young and fiercely patriotic Navy General was given charge of a Naval Base on the Northern Coast of the Black Sea. Becoming disillusioned with the party, he diverted resources to his own operation, Project Titan, without Russia’s knowledge.
1966, NATO stepped in, deploying the elite Phantom unit to terminate the operation. A bloodbath ensued, in which Zhurov himself claimed the lives of two elite Phantom team members, and inflicted a gunshot wound on Lieutenant Watts, who subsequently called an airstrike on the base.
The majority of the facility was decimated by the bombing run. Zhurov’s right leg was crushed by a steel beam, and much of his body was inflicted with severe burns. Refusing to die before his plan was complete, he hacked his own leg free, losing everything from the knee down, and then crawled out of the wreckage. Sheer grit prolonged his life until a contingent of his loyal followers found him and extracted him, slipping out of the base before the clean-up force arrived. Zhurov was presumed dead...
"General Nikolai Zhurov" - David Hayter
Zhurov's teaser intro clip.
A segment from the full trailer that publicly announced David Hayter's return to stealth in the role of General Nikolai Zhurov.
Zhurov was always intended to be the archetypical villain.
His visual design and back story was conjured to ensure his presence and performance always stood out whilst directly contrasting with those around him.
Zhurov’s maniacal drive for revenge afforded us the creative licence to push the drama in both visuals, performance and props.
Zhurov quickly became an imposing, larger than life character with the attitude to match.
With the visual objectives marrying the Phantom origin story, Zhurov’s design became a walking representation of his persona and revenge.
With the temperament of a tyrannical leader, he wears his scarred, naval past with menacing pride.
Zhurov’s story connects him to the original units operation in 1966.
Zhurov claimed two lives of the Phantom Unit and wounded Lieutenant Watts, who subsequently called an airstrike leading to the loss of Zhurov's leg and his extensive facial scarring.