Universal joins Disney and Warner Bros. in canceling their Russian releases

Universal Pictures studios confirmed on Tuesday that they will not release their new films in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine, following the decision made earlier by The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros.

“In response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Universal Pictures has paused the premieres that were planned in Russia”, the company said in a statement.

“Belfast”, “Ambulance”, “The Bad Guys” and “Jurassic World Dominion” are some of the titles affected by the measure.

On Monday night both the group The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. made the same decision.

A significant number of companies from the world of technology and entertainment -mostly based in California (USA)- they are responding in a similar way to the Ukraine war.

Netflix confirmed on Monday that it will not comply with Russia’s new audiovisual law, which would force the platform to include twenty public channels in order to operate in the country.

The legislation, which was scheduled to take effect on March 1, requires Netflix and other audiovisual services to broadcast content from Kremlin-affiliated media such as Channel One, the NTV entertainment network and the Orthodox Church Channel.

Hours earlier, the technology company Meta announced that it will restrict access to the RT network and the Sputnik agency, media affiliated with the Russian government, on its social networks – which include Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – at the request of the European Union (EU).

Also Twitter, another American social network, announced this Monday that will add a warning in messages that share links and news from media controlled by the Kremlinof which it will also try to reduce its circulation on the platform.

“Our product should make it easier to understand who is behind the content you see and what their motivations and intentions are,” added the head of Integrity for that platform, Yoel Roth. (I)