‘The Batman’ still set to release in Russian theaters

The Batman has been confirmed to be opening in Russia as part of its global rollout this weekend. The incoming reboot of D.C.’s Dark Knight has been one of the most notable Hollywood blockbusters perennially delayed due to the pandemic, with Warner Bros. pushing back its release numerous times since 2020. Although it’s finally arriving this March, it’s nevertheless still coming at a time of international turmoil following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the ramifications of the situation, however, many upcoming movies remain set to open in Russia, The Batman included. The Hollywood Reporter shared the news in an article examining Hollywood’s non-response to the Ukraine invasion. To date, none of Tinseltown’s major studios made any official comment on it, nor have they amended their planned Russian releases. Director Matt Reeves’ superhero film is scheduled to release on March 3, a day before its U.S. opening this Friday.

Hollywood’s decision to stay quiet might have something to do with the fact that Russia is a lucrative market for the film industry. Spider-Man: No Way Home, for instance, has earned $44.5 million in the territory so far. This past weekend saw Peter Dinklage’s musical Cyrano and The Godfather’s 50th Anniversary re-release come out in Russia, with whodunnit Death on the Nile and action/adventure Uncharted also performing well. Other major pictures due soon in Russia include Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Fantastic Beasts 3.

That said, the various studios may be incentivized to do something soon given recent actions taken by the European Union, which could affect Hollywood’s earnings from Russian releases. Over the weekend, the E.U. elected to remove the nation from the global banking system SWIFT, which may mean that studios will not be able to get their money back from their distribution partners in Russia.

Starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, and Paul Dano, The Batman is receiving high praise in its first reviews, with critics labeling it one of the best Batman movies ever. Find it in cinemas from March 4.