- The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues onwards
- The international community has banded together against Russia
- Hollywood has made a unilateral move to boycott its premieres in Russia
Many of Russia's sports teams have already been booted from major competitions including the World Cup set to be celebrated in Qatar this summer, among others. And international banks have cut ties with major Russian institutions, leading many Russians to scramble and withdraw their money before it's too late.
But now Hollywood has tagged along to the sanction bandwagon, boycotting many upcoming releases in Russia, in attempt to aid the war effort!
Also interesting:
Even stars are feeling the pain!
Just like Harry and Meghan
Hollywood Stands By Ukraine, Even If It Means Losing Profit!
In official statements this week, Warner Bros, the Walt Disney Co, and Sony Pictures said on Monday that they would “pause” the release of their films in Russia. Each studio has major upcoming releases that had been set to debut internationally in the coming weeks and would have meant a significant profit in Russia given its large population!
The Batman is set to be one of the year’s hottest blockbusters, and it launches Friday in North America and many overseas territories, including Russia. However, that has now all changed after Vladimir Putin's military aggression:
“In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film ‘The Batman’ in Russia,” a spokesperson for the studio said in a media release.
The Entertainment World Is Coming Together To Fight Back
Disney have also added to the pressure on Russia by doing the same: “Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming ‘Turning Red’ from Pixar,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.
It's unclear how much of a financial hit these decisions will have on the movie industry. However, what is clear, is that this is the right thing to do. “We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation," said the Disney spokesperson.
The world continues to wait and see how this war will come to an end. In the meantime, the world's biggest entertainment machine stands toe to toe with the peacekeepers!
Let's all hope for peace in the Ukraine very soon!
