Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Lost City are getting pulled from releasing in Russia as the latest in a long list of other studios doing the same for their movies amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A spokesperson from Paramount released a statement (via Variety), calling the move a response to “the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine:”
“As we witness the ongoing tragedy in Ukraine, we have decided to pause the theatrical release of our upcoming films in Russia, including 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.”
This latest development comes after other studios pulled their films earlier this week, including Disney, Sony, and Warner Bros. That means films such as Pixar’s Turning Red, Morbius, and DC’s The Batman won’t be coming to Russian screens. However, some of the films that already got released prior to the crisis, such as Sony’s Uncharted and Disney’s Death on the Nile, will continue to play in theaters until the end of their respective licensing agreements.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2, a video game adaptation sequel, and The Lost City, a Sandra Bullock-starring action-adventure set in the jungle alongside co-star Channing Tatum, are both expected to be big blockbuster releases. The first Sonic the Hedgehog film raked in almost $11 million in Russia, and Bullock’s previous actioner, Ocean’s Eight, snagged $6.3 million, according to Deadline.
Blockbuster film releases in Russia, including Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s box office haul of close to $45 million in that country, has been a profitable international market for Hollywood. So it remains to be seen how long the boycott will go on.