Disney, Warner Bros., Sony, and Paramount have paused the Russian releases of their upcoming films in light of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Disney’s Pixar film Turning Red, Warner Bros.’ The Batman, Sony’s Marvel adaptation Morbius, and Paramount’s films Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Lost City are all set to hit theaters in the coming weeks, but the media giants have joined a sea of entertainers who have cut off Russia following Vladimir Putin’s attack on Russia’s neighboring country.
“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the theatrical release of films in Russia,” Disney said in a statement, adding that it would work with its non-governmental partners to provide Ukraine with “urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees.” Turning Red hits other markets on March 11th.
A spokesman for WarnerMedia said The Batman would not premiere in Russian theaters on March 4th as previously scheduled, “in light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”
Morbius isn’t out until April 1st, but a Sony spokesperson told the BBC, “Given the ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region, we will be pausing our planned theatrical releases in Russia.”
“As we witness the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine, we have decided to pause the theatrical release of our upcoming films in Russia, including The Lost City, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” Paramount said in a statement. “We stand by all those impacted by the humanitarian crisis across Ukraine, Russia, and our international markets and will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds.” The Lost City premieres in other markets March 23rd, while the Sonic sequel is scheduled for April 8th.
In other shows of Ukrainian solidarity, Netflix recently announced it would ignore a Russian law that requires media platforms to carry state propaganda channels, while Green Day, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Iggy Pop, and more have canceled concerts in the country.
