Walt Disney, Warner Bros and Sonyhave revealed that they will be pausing all upcoming theatrical releases in Russia, in light of the invasion on Ukraine.
Since Vladimir Putin’s military attack on Ukraine, there has been an international attempt to shut Russia off from the Western world.
The European Union for example, have implemented various economic sanctions toward Russia in order to cut off Putin’s access to capital markets.
Even the sporting world have joined in, as FIFA have suspended Russian football teams from participating in any international football competitions, including the 2022 World Cup.
Now the film industry is showing their solidarity with Ukraine by halting all theatrical releases in Russia.
A spokesperson for Warner Bros explained that “in light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Warner Media is pausing the release of its feature film ‘The Batman’ in Russia”. The DC adaption starring Robert Pattinson was set to release in Russia this Friday.
Similarly, Sony Pictures stated that “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, including the upcoming release of ‘Morbius‘”.
Walt Disney have followed suit. A tweet by the production company on Monday revealed that “given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, [Disney] are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming ‘Turning Red’”. The Pixar film was supposed to premiere in Russia on March 10.
As the aggression on Ukraine continues, it is likely that more and more companies will join in this movement, causing Russia to become extremely disconnected from Europe and the United States.
#Peace.Love.Ukraine
