As of the morning of March 1, 2022, three Hollywood film studios have already announced the suspension of their activities in Russia. So canceled the rental of all releases of the Disney studio, as well as its subsidiaries (Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios). The premiere of the movie comic book “Batman” by Warner Bros. Studio, which domestic viewers were supposed to see on March 2, will definitely not take place. The comic book movie “Morbius” by Sony Pictures will not be released either. Representatives of the American corporation Disney in an interview with Variety said that their decision was dictated by the special operation carried out by Russian troops in Ukraine. Whether the rental will resume in the foreseeable future is unknown. Disney reports that everything will depend on the development of the current situation.
Among the high-profile releases of these studios are the expected large-scale blockbusters: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (April 14), Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness (May 5), Thor: Love and Thunder (July 7), Buzz Lightyear “(July 21), “Spider-Man: Into the Universe 2” (October 22), “Black Panther” (November 10). It is possible that in the near future other Hollywood corporations – Universal and Paramount Pictures – will join the boycott.
The cancellation of such large anticipated releases is likely to impact the film business in the most negative way. Something similar already happened at the very beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, when cinemas in Russia were closed for several months. Then, after the opening, large-scale premieres were not enough to attract viewers – for some cinemas this period turned out to be fatal, and their owners were forced to leave the business. Despite the fact that Russian blockbusters are also scheduled to be released this year, they simply may not be enough to compensate for the demand of viewers for so-called commercial films. If the Hollywood boycott lasts for a long time, the likelihood of a repeat of the post-quarantine situation is high.