Disney, Sony & Warner Bros. halt movie releases in Russia in response to Ukraine invasion

Warner Bros., Walt Disney Co., and Sony Pictures announced on February 28 that their films will be "paused" in Russia, following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Each studio has a number of important upcoming releases that are slated to hit theatres throughout the world in the coming weeks.

Warner Bros. has halted the release of 'The Batman' in Russia, just days before the movie was set to open in theatres there. 'The Batman,' one of the most eagerly awaited pictures of the year, was scheduled to release in North America and a number of other locations, including Russia, on Friday, before the halt.

"In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film ‘The Batman’ in Russia. We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy," a studio representative stated in a statement.

The Warner Bros. action came after the Walt Disney Co. made a similar choice on Monday. The Pixar movie 'Turning Red' was supposed to be released in Russia on March 10, according to the company. In the United States, that film will be available exclusively on Disney+. Further, Warner Bros. was expected to proceed with the Russian release of 'The Batman' prior to Disney's announcement.

"Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming ‘Turning Red’ from Pixar. We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees," a Disney representative said in a statement. 

Ukrainian Film Academy called for global boycott of Russian film industry

Late Monday, Hollywood scrambled plans in Russia as international pressure intensified to cut ties with the country over the Ukraine conflict. As many countries attempted to block Russian banks, the currency of Russia plummeted as a result of Western economic sanctions. The Ukrainian Film Academy called for a global boycott of the Russian film industry on Saturday.

Although Russia is not the most important market for Hollywood, it consistently ranks in the top dozen nations in the world in terms of box office receipts. Sony jumped on the bandwagon after Disney and Warner Bros. made their announcements. It is worth noting that 'Spider-Man: No Way Home,' Sony's latest big hit with $1.85 billion in worldwide ticket sales, has grossed $46.7 million in Russia. Over the last two weeks, Sony's most recent chart-topping title, Tom Holland's adventure 'Uncharted,' has grossed roughly $20 million in Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: Shutterstock/AP