As previously discussed on The Anime Daily, streaming giants are finally turning their backs on Russia. In the midst of an ongoing stand-off with Ukraine, Russia has been facing all sorts of backlash from across industries. It has only been two weeks since the release of ‘Morbius’ was halted in the country. And now, Sony’s anime streaming giant, Crunchyroll, is also stopping its streaming services. In addition, the Russian fans might also not get their copy of ‘Spider-Man No Way Home’ videos. So, what do the executives from Sony have to say about this? Is there a statement from the side of Russia in regards to Crunchyroll? Here is everything you need to know about it.
The Russia-Ukraine stand-off is affecting every industry beginning from finance to entertainment. Being one of the most high-end industries of all time, the entertainment world has the responsibility to call for tough decisions. Plus, a large number of eyeballs look up to studios and streaming companies to take a stand. In the same chain, Sony, Disney, and other giants have put forth their take on the same. Keep reading ahead to
Sony’s Chairman Comments
On Friday, March 11, 2022, Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment shared a memo with the staff of the company. The memo read that Sony stood in solidarity with the companies which cut ties with Russia. They supported the humanitarian efforts of these businesses and were willing to support such endeavors that favored Ukraine and the surrounding nations.
Moreover, after the stoppage on the theatrical release of ‘Morbius’ in the country, Sony had also decided to put a complete halt to the launch of the ‘Spider-Man No Way Home’ video release. The most important of all these breakthroughs was the reveal that Sony was also going to pull back Crunchyroll anime streaming from Russia.
Other Media Bans
Mr. Vinciquerra also released the statement on Sony’s behalf. The executive said that their thoughts and condolences remained with the people who have been affected by the war. He also hoped that a peaceful resolution was made soon enough. This way, people could also find some relief amid a constant state of war. In addition to this, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Disney have also paused the flow of all entertainment media in Russia. The most significant ban of all was the stoppage of ‘The Batman’ from WarnerBros Media.
The stoppages are certainly leading to heavy losses for these companies. Just the way No Way Home ended up losing more than $600 Mn from China, ‘The Batman’ will also face similar consequences. However, if continued the services, then the case of getting canceled by the internet world is even higher. Lastly, keep an eye on this page for more updates on the same.