Sanctions and cancellations seem to be circling around Russia ever since they commenced the Invasion of Ukraine. While politics rely on imposing sanctions, it’s the film industry that will be taking away entertainment for Russian audiences. And due to the ongoing violence, Paramount Pictures has decided to cancel the film releases of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Lost City in Russia.
Paramount Pictures Cancels Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Lost City in Russia
Ever since the inception of the Invasion, a few big filmmaking outlets spoke out against the crisis. To show support for the people of Ukraine, studios such as Disney, WarnerMedia, and Sony have pulled their projects. These include Pixar’s Turning Red, Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and Sony/Marvel’s Morbius. As long as the fighting persists, none of these films will appear in Russia. And the continuous actions of these Hollywood studios can only propel other companies to make similar moves.
Enter Paramount Pictures, the newest advocate in removing film premieres within Russia. And for them, it’s the case of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and The Lost City that won’t be showing up. In a statement from a spokesperson for Paramount Pictures, they expressed the integrity of the gesture:
There’s no denying that more action will be taken. In the statement, they declare that they will continue to check on the matter as it happens. The other film from Paramount Pictures that could potentially be removed from playing in Russia is Top Gun: Maverick, easily the studio’s other huge film to be released this year. Truly, only time will reveal what will happen next, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye on other cancelations.
