By
Godfrey Benjamin
April 5th, 2024
Similar to Disney’s statement, WarnerMedia also said that the current situation would be carefully tracked to make decisions accordingly.
The current invasion of Ukraine by Russia has been disapproved and condemned by several organizations and countries. Sharing solidarity with Ukraine on the ongoing war inflicted by Russia, Hollywood Studios Disney, Warner Bros., and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced a halt over theatrical releases of films in the country.
The Walt Disney Company revealed on Monday that it is halting the release of theatrical films in Russia. The first movie listed to go out in the cinemas was “Turning Red” by the Pixar Animation Studios. In a matter of a few hours, WarnerMedia announced its decision to pause the release of Robert Pattinson-starrer “The Batman” in Russia.
In the official statement floated by Disney, the American entertainment conglomerate claimed that the business decisions of the future will evolve according to the situation. However, the statement acknowledged the crisis caused by the ongoing refugee movement. Disney claimed to be contributing to help in the situation by delivering immediate assistance and other humanitarian aid.
Sony Pictures Entertainment, similar to the others, paused theatrical releases in Russia. The forthcoming release of Mobius was halted and was announced by Sony Pictures Entertainment’s spokesperson via email. A couple of days ago, the Ukrainian Film Academy started an online petition for the global disapproval and boycott of Russian cinema and the film industry on account of the unnecessary attack by the country.
Having said that, it is true that Russia is an important audience for filmmakers in Hollywood. The cumulative revenue collected from the Russian market added up to $601 Million in Box Office in 2021. This is approximately 2.8% of the worldwide sale of tickets, which summed up to $21.4 billion last year.
A number of famous movies were listed for an international release. While “The Batman” was going to release on March the 3rd (in Russia), Paramount Pictures’ “Soni the Hedgehog 2” (Directed by Jeff Fowler), was about to make its international debut on April 8th.
Similar to Disney’s statement, WarnerMedia also said that the current situation would be carefully tracked to make decisions accordingly. Calling the Ukrainian crisis a tragedy, it also maintained that an amicable solution should be reached as soon as possible to prevent the situation from getting worse. A Hollywood trade publication announced that the studio officials were fighting significantly with the Russian dilemma, while the United States and its European allies legislate financial and economic sanctions.