Disney pauses theatrical releases in Russia, condemns invasion of Ukraine

The Walt Disney Firm will halt all future theatrical movie releases in Russia following the nation’s assault on Ukraine.

“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian disaster, we’re pausing the discharge of theatrical movies in Russia, together with the upcoming ‘Turning Purple’ from Pixar,” the corporate mentioned in a press release Monday. “We are going to make future enterprise selections primarily based on the evolving state of affairs.

“Within the meantime, given the size of the rising refugee crises, we’re working with our NGO companions to offer pressing support and different humanitarian help to refugees,” Disney mentioned.

Disney is the primary main Hollywood studio to take a tough stance towards Russia within the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Warner Bros., for instance, is predicted to debut “The Batman” within the nation this week.

Whereas ticket gross sales in Russia will not be as important as these drummed up in China, it’s nonetheless a outstanding marketplace for Disney. “Spider-Man: No Manner House,” a co-production with Sony, has tallied greater than $50 million within the nation.

Disney’s resolution to forego releases in Russia comes amid a wave of different boycotts from the leisure business.

Streaming big Netflix mentioned it is not going to adjust to Russian guidelines to hold information channels amid the escalating Russian invasion in Ukraine.

“Given the present state of affairs, we’ve no plans so as to add these channels to our service,” a Netflix spokesperson informed CNBC on Monday. The choice comes as a wave of Russian state-backed information broadcasts unfold Russian propaganda justifying the battle Moscow began in Ukraine final week.

Sports activities organizations {and professional} athletes are additionally hitting Russia with their very own sorts of sanctions. Federation Internationale de Soccer Affiliation (FIFA) joined the Union of European Soccer Associations to announce it would bar Russian groups from occasions, together with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, till additional discover.

The Nationwide Hockey League, which has greater than two dozen Russian-born hockey gamers, has suspended agreements with Russian firms and the Worldwide Olympic Committee additionally really useful banning Russian groups from competitions for violating the “Olympic Truce.”