Paramount, Disney, Warner Bros. and Sony have downloaded major editions from the Russian calendar.
Updated March 1, 4:05 PM: Universal has stopped releasing its films in Russia, including Michael Bay’s Ambulance and DreamWorks’ animated film Bad Boys. The thriller “Ambulance” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Matin II, while “Bad Boys” includes the vocal talents of Sam Rockwell, Mark Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos and Aquafina.
Update March 1: Paramount also withdrew two of its upcoming releases from Russia’s calendar on Tuesday: “The Lost City” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”
“As we witness the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine, we have decided to pause the cinemas of our upcoming films in Russia, including The Lost City and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. We stand by all those affected by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Russia and our international markets, and we will continue to monitor the situation as it develops, “a spokesman said in a statement shared with Variety.
Sony followed suit and withdrew the release of Morbius from Russia amid the invasion. “Given the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine and the resulting insecurity and humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region, we will pause our planned theatrical launches in Russia, including the upcoming edition of Morbius,” a Sony spokesman said late Monday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected, and we hope that this crisis will be resolved quickly.
Updated February 28, 21:14 ET: Warner Bros. he followed suit and withdrew Batman from its forthcoming release in Russia. A WarnerMedia spokesman said in a statement: “In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia has suspended the release of its feature film Batman in Russia. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops. We hope for a speedy and peaceful resolution of this tragedy. “
Updated February 19, 19:38 ET: As the Western world unites around Ukraine, imposing aggressive sanctions that cripple Russia’s economy as Vladimir Putin invades the European nation, Hollywood faces difficult decisions on how to react. Today, Disney took the boldest step to sanction Russia by pausing Russian releases of all of its upcoming theatrical films, beginning next week’s Turning Red. In a statement issued this afternoon, the company said it would not do business in Russia as the invasion continued, instead choosing to focus on helping Ukrainian refugees.
“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are suspending the release of theatrical films in Russia, including Pixar’s forthcoming Turning Red,” the company said. “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 emergency and other humanitarian assistance to refugees.
This move comes as much of the world of sports and entertainment has taken action to isolate Russia from global pop culture. Formula One has canceled its Grand Prix of Russia, which was to take place this September, and FIFA and UEFA have banned Russia from participating in international football matches. American musicians, including Green Day and AJR, have also canceled upcoming concerts in Russia, and many leading American music establishments have vowed to stop serving Russian vodka.
Disney’s decision marks the toughest stance against Russia that the American film industry has taken since the beginning of the invasion. However, the biggest theatrical film of the month is expected to be released in Russia. Deadline reports that Warner Bros. does not plan to withdraw Batman from Russia when the film hits theaters this weekend, citing contractual obligations and the fact that the film is being distributed through private, non-state-owned companies.
It remains to be seen how the other studios will react or how long the Russian boycott of Disney will last. Other upcoming releases from the studio include “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness” in May, “Lightyear” in June and “Thor: Love and Thunder” in July.
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