The Batmanwon’t be released in Russia. PerThe Hollywood Reporter, the anticipated superhero film has been pulled from its Russian release in the 11th hour, following speculation that the movie would move forward as scheduled given the difficulties in pulling the film this close to release. The news comes after Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine and follows Disney similarly pulling its upcoming releases in Russia.
“In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature filmThe Batmanin Russia,” a WarnerMedia spokesperson said, confirming the company’s plans to pull the film despite how close it was to its premiere. “We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy.”
Russians were just days away from seeing the film asThe Batmanwas set to release in the country on March 3 as part of its global rollout. It now seems likely that other upcoming Warner Bros. releases will be similarly getting pulled if these ongoing conflicts are not resolved. This includes the upcoming release ofFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledoreon April 14 and the animated superhero featureDC League of Super-Petson May 19.
The Batmanis one of the year’s most anticipated movies for fans worldwide. It has had a very long production with many release date delays before finally setting its premiere date for this week in stone. There’s a market for superhero films in Russia, as seen bySpider-Man: No Way Homepulling in $44.5 million in the country. With Warner Bros. nevertheless pullingThe Batman, it will be interesting to see how many other big releases are soon to follow. Sony’s Morbius, along with Paramount’sSonic the Hedgehog 2,are two other anticipated blockbusters scheduled for Russian releases.
Related:Which Villain Should Robert Pattinson Face in a Sequel to The Batman?
Disney Has Also Pulled All Theatrical Releases From Russia
The Walt Disney Companywas the first to start pulling movie releasesfrom the schedule in Russia. Specifically named is the upcoming animated comedyTurning Red, though they also state that all releases are getting pulled for now, which includes other big releases likeDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This move has seemingly started a snowball effect that has also resulted inThe Batmangetting removed from the release schedule in Russia, and we’ll likely see companies making similar gestures.
“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcomingTurning Redfrom Pixar," The Walt Disney Company said in a statement. “We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crises, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees.”
The Batmanwill be released in the United States on March 4.Turning Redwill go straight to streaming on Disney+ on March 11.
