Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has suspended all operations in Russia, halting home entertainment releases such as Spider-Man: No Way Homeand temporarily blocking access to its anime streaming service, Crunchyroll, according to a report from Variety. The move will also stop any TV distribution deals in the country.
“We support many companies around the world that have now stopped their business operations in Russia and we support the humanitarian efforts that are currently taking place in Ukraine and the surrounding region,” SPE CEO Tony Vinciquerra said in an email. to the employees seen by Variety. “We have also halted our planned home entertainment releases, including ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ and any future television distribution deals. And just this morning, Crunchyroll suspended its anime streaming service in Russia.”
Sony, owner of the anime streaming service Funimation, bought Crunchyroll last August and then announced that it would merge both services: a process that has already started. As has been pointed out by comicbook.coma message translated into Russian Crunchyroll website it says it is “forced to suspend its work in Russia” and notes that users will not be charged for their subscriptions while the service is shut down in the country. funimation already not available in Russia.
Sony already shot Morbius and other upcoming theatrical releases of Russia last month, with the ownership of Sony PlayStation suspending all sales and shipments to the country earlier this week. Sony’s music division announced that it is closing its operations in Russia Thursday.
In addition to Sony, entertainment giants spanning television, movies, and games have also sourced sales and services from Russia, including Warner Bros, Disney, Supreme, Universal, Netflixand Quite a few important game companies.