Warner Bros., Sony, Paramount and Disney Pull Films from Russia

Update March 1 at 4:05 pm: Universal has stopped releasing its films at Russia, including Michael Bay’s “Ambulance” and DreamWorks’ animated film “Bad Guys.” Heist thriller “Ambulance” stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, while “Bad Guys” showcases the vocal talents of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos and Awkwafina.

March 1 update: Paramount also pulled two of its upcoming releases from the calendar in Russia on Tuesday: “The Lost City” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.”

We also witness the ongoing tragedy in UkraineWe have decided to stop the theatrical release of our upcoming films in Russia, including The Lost City and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. We stand with all those affected by the humanitarian crisis across Ukraine, Russia and our international markets and will continue to monitor the situation as it develops,” a spokesperson for the organization said in a statement. Shared with Variety.

Sony followed suit and withdrew the release of “Morbius” from Russia amid the invasion. A Sony spokesperson said late Monday: “Due to the ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region, we will be temporarily halting our planned theatrical releases in Russia, including the upcoming release of Morbius”. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected and we hope this crisis will be resolved quickly.”

Update February 28, 9:14 PM ET: Warner Bros. followed suit. They followed suit and withdrew The Batman movie from its impending release in Russia. A WarnerMedia spokesperson said in a statement: “In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia has temporarily halted the release of its feature film” The Batman “in Russia. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops. We hope for a speedy and peaceful resolution of this tragedy.”

Update February 28, 7:38 PM ET: As the Western world rallies around Ukraine, enforces tough sanctions crippling the Russian economy and Vladimir Putin invades the European nation, Hollywood has faced tough decisions about how to respond. Today, Disney It has taken the boldest step yet toward punishing Russia, temporarily halting the Russian releases of all of its upcoming theatrical films, starting with Turning Red next week. In a statement issued this afternoon, the company said it will not do business in Russia while the invasion continues, opting instead to focus on helping Ukrainian refugees.

“Due to the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the catastrophic humanitarian crisis, we are temporarily stopping the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming Pixar’s Turning Red,” the company said. “We will make future action 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 the refugees.”

The move comes as the world of sports and entertainment has pushed to action to isolate Russia from global pop culture. Formula 1 has canceled the Russian Grand Prix, which was scheduled for September, and the International Football Association (FIFA) and the European Football Association (UEFA) have also banned Russia from participating in any international football matches. American musicians, including Green Day and AJR, have also canceled upcoming concerts in Russia, and several major American music venues have vowed to stop serving Russian vodka.

Disney’s decision represents the strongest stance the American film industry has taken against Russia since the invasion began. However, the biggest theatrical film of the month is still expected to be shown in Russia. The deadline to report that Warner Bros. It has no plans to pull The 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 companies.

It remains to be seen how other studios will respond, or how long Disney’s Russian boycott will last. Other releases coming 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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