AT&T’s (NYSE:T) Warner Bros. division and Sony Pictures (NYSE:SONY) have announced they are withdrawing their film releases from Russian theaters to protest President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
What Happened: Warner Bros.’s superhero epic “The Batman” was scheduled to open in Russia on March 2, two days before its U.S. premiere. In a statement, the company cited “the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine” for “pausing the release” of the highly anticipated film starring Robert Pattinson.
“We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves,” the company said. “We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy.”
Sony, which has “Uncharted” in Russian theaters and planned an April release of “Morbius” starring Jared Leto, also cited the “ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region” for its decision.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted and hope this crisis will be resolved quickly,” Sony added in a statement.
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Why It Happened: The companies followed the lead set by the Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS), which canceled the theatrical premiere of the Pixar animated feature “Turning Red” slated for this week and took down its all-star “Death on the Nile” from its ongoing release.
The Motion Picture Association, the industry’s main trade organization, issued a statement that voices its solidarity with Ukraine but stopped short of calling for a Hollywood boycott of the Russian market.
“On behalf of our member companies, who lead the film, TV and streaming industry, we express our strongest support for Ukraine’s vibrant creative community who, like all people, deserve to live and work peacefully,” the MPA said in a statement.
Photo: Jared Leto in "Morbius," courtesy of Sony Pictures.
