Disney became the first Hollywood studio to weigh in publicly on the issue of the release of films in Russia. Warner Bros., which had planned to release The Batman, reversed course after Disney said it would stop.
Disney said in a statement that it is pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming Pixar film "Turning Red." It will be available on Disney+ in the US on March 11.
The Batman was going to be shown in Russian cinemas on Thursday. Warner executives said earlier on Monday that a marketing campaign had already been executed in the country and that theaters in Russia were not owned by the government.
WarnerMedia said in a statement that they would continue to monitor the situation.
How long does it take for the studios to restart? It was not clear. Disney's action will affect two other films because of the marketing runway needed to release films in theaters. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is scheduled for release on May 5 in Russia, while Bob's Burgers is scheduled for release on June 1. Warner's upcoming movies include Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and the DC League of Super Pets.
Both companies have operations in Russia. Disney has a Disney Channel and touring stage productions. Disney didn't address any of those in its statement. Disney said it was working with partner organizations to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees.
Disney's top film in Russia last year was Free Guy. It collected $11.2 million in Russia, which is 3 percent of its worldwide gross.
Russia was the top market for Hollywood outside the United States before the Pandemic. In Russia, ticket sales for American-made movies totaled nearly a billion dollars. Hollywood sales in China totaled $9.3 billion in 2019.
On behalf of our member companies, who lead the film, the Motion Picture Association released a statement condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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