Hollywood halts releases in Russia, including ‘The Batman’

By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Warner Bros. is halting the release of “The Batman” in Russia, just days before it was to open in theaters there, as Hollywood moved to cease distribution plans following the invasion of Ukraine. Warner Bros. the Walt Disney Co. and Sony said Monday that they would “pause” the release of their films in Russia. The studios have significant upcoming releases that had been set to debut internationally in the coming weeks. “The Batman,” one of the year’s more anticipated films, launches Friday in North America and many overseas territories, including Russia. Disney had planned to open the Pixar film “Turning Red” in Russia on March 10, while Sony’s next big release is “Morbius.”