Fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the release of 'The Batman,' but the film
won't be coming to Russian cinemas.
Why not?
And how do people feel about it?
Keep watching to find out!
The release of a new Batman movie is always a major film industry event, and doubly so
when it changes the franchise's direction in a significant manner — or, even better,
marks the debut of a brand new actor donning the cape, the cowl, and the kevlar armor.
Matt Reeves' "The Batman" checks all those boxes and more.
Its detective noir approach is markedly different from Zack Snyder's more action-oriented Batman,
and Robert Pattinson's young, slightly D.I.Y.
Caped Crusader is a considerable departure from Ben Affleck's buff, grizzled, and aging
Dark Knight.
"Well, here I am."
The movie's casting is also a far cry from your typical Hollywood fare.
Pattinson, Paul Dano, who plays The Riddler, and Zoë Kravitz, who plays Catwoman, may
be no strangers to major motion pictures, but they come with plenty of indie credibility
to go with their requisite dramatic accomplishments.
Meanwhile, arguably the biggest traditional movie star in the film, Colin Farrell, plays
the Penguin under a mountain of make-up and prosthetics.
As such, there are plenty of fans who can't wait for the movie's release — both in the
U.S. and other countries.
"It's one of the major characters of the 20th century and so many people connect to it on
such a deep level and for so many different reasons."
In fact, with the movie cleared for release in China, "The Batman" might have a decent
chance to become a massive global super-hit — a rare feat in this day and age.
However, there's one market that won't get to enjoy the movie and its jaw-dropping runtime,
because "The Batman" won't be available in Russian movie theaters.
Let's take a look at the reasons behind this omission.
The reason "The Batman" won't make an appearance in Russian cinemas in the foreseeable future
is the country's invasion of Ukraine, according to CNN Business.
This isn't a logistical issue, either — the film's distributor specifically made the decision
to pull the movie.
The announcement is one of the most high-profile among the several recent entertainment industry
decisions to take business away from Russia.
A spokesperson for the company said,
"In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its
feature film 'The Batman' in Russia.
We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves."
It remains to be seen how the situation develops, but the WarnerMedia spokesperson expressed
the company's wish of how it should wrap up, adding,
"We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy."
The latest developments of "The Batman" and its Russian release — or, rather, lack thereof
— have been noted in the people's court of social media, and multiple Twitter users
have spoken their minds about the situation.
Though people appreciate — or at the very least understand — the decision, there are
different opinions about its meaningfulness and effectiveness.
Some people have been quick to show their support.
One Twitter user wrote,
"The Batman film release is on hold for Russia.
Good.
Moral principal over profits, Even in hard times.
Good for Warner Bros."
Another user thought along the same lines, saying,
"I congratulate Warner Bros for pulling out of distributing in Russia what is touted as
their blockbuster of the year, the movie 'The Batman.'"
Others, however, were more skeptical of the move, and pointed out that pausing a movie's
release is unlikely to have a major impact in the grand scheme of things.
One doubtful person sarcastically tweeted,
"That'll stop them.
Movie companies are really acting like The Batman not releasing in Russia is going to
make Putin stop."
Thanks to its impending release date of "The Batman" and the massive hype surrounding it,
Warner Bros. pulling the movie from Russia is arguably the hardest immediate blow to
the country's movie theaters.
However, it's far from the only hit Russia has taken from the entertainment industry
as of late.
In fact, multiple entertainment juggernauts have made similar decisions.
On the streaming side of things, Netflix recently refused to add state-mandated content on its
platform in Russia, according to Deadline.
Similarly, Disney's release pause in the country means titles like "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse
of Madness" might not see a Russian release.
Sony will do the same with "Morbius," as well as all the other movies it had planned to
release in the country.
"I'm vengeance."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Looper videos about your favorite movies are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.