Warner Bros have cancelled the planned release of The Batman in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The highly anticipated superhero film starring Robert Pattinson is one of several to have its Russian release pulled in response to the ongoing conflict. Disney and Sony Pictures have also announced that they are abandoning scheduled releases in the territory.
“In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film The Batman in Russia,” a spokesperson for Warner Bros said in a statement.
“We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy.”
The Batman is out in the UK and other international territories on 4 March.
Disney Pixar’s family animation Turning Red and Sony’s supervillain thriller Morbius have also had their forthcoming releases pulled in Russia.
Across the world of arts, other performers and companies are distancing themselves from Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
Follow the latest updates about the Russian invasion of Ukraine here.
In a four-star review of The Batman, The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey wrote: “The Batman is a very good Batman film. To think of it as anything more only leads to delusion or disappointment.
“It also undermines the more subtle work at play in Reeves’s film, which remains faithful to the character’s core iconography – bat ears, elaborate gadgets, encroaching darkness – while simultaneously interrogating its usefulness.”
You can read the full review of The Batman here.
