Several major movie studios have pulled their upcoming releases from Russia in solidarity with Ukraine.
Disney was the first to block its theatrical releases, including next week's premiere of Turning Red, citing the "unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis." The company stated that future business decisions will be based on the evolving situation and that they are working to provide urgent aid to Ukrainian refugees.
Following Disney's decision, Warner Bros. pulled The Batman from its Russian release, initially slated for Friday, March 4. "In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film The Batman in Russia," a spokesperson said. "We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy."
Soon after, Morbius, the latest installment in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, joined the list of paused releases.
A representative for Sony listed the "ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region" as the reasons for pulling the film and added that their thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted.
Paramount became the fourth studio to take action, announcing that they will be pausing the release of The Lost City and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. "We stand by all those impacted by the humanitarian crisis across Ukraine, Russia, and our international markets and will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds," the short statement reads.
The acts of solidarity come after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military forces to invade Ukraine.
