Warner Bros, Disney and Sony have halted the release of films in Russian cinemas, after the invasion of Ukraine.
The announcements mean the releases of major movies The Batman, Turning Red and Morbius will now not go ahead as scheduled in the country.
They come as governments around the world have been ramping up their sanctions against Moscow.
In recent days global corporations, including car makers and energy giants, have cut business ties with Russia.
The Warner Bros blockbuster The Batman was due to be released in Russia on Friday.
“In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film ‘The Batman’ in Russia,” a spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Disney has delayed the Russian release of the Pixar animated film, Turning Red.
“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the theatrical release of films in Russia,” Disney said in a statement.
The entertainment giant added that it would work with its non-governmental organisations to provide “urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees”.
Sony has also halted the release of its Marvel adaptation Morbius in the country.
“Given the ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region, we will be pausing our planned theatrical releases in Russia,” a spokesperson told the BBC.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted and hope this crisis will be resolved quickly,” they added.
Statement from The Walt Disney Company in Response to the Crisis in Ukraine
The following statement may be attributed to a spokesperson for The Walt Disney Company:
“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. We will make future business 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 refugees.”
BBC
