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Box Office: Lionsgate to release Ballerina in Russia after three year moratorium; all we know
Lionsgate eyes Russian theaters with Ballerina release, marking a potential Hollywood return amid shifting politics, sluggish global box office, and revived local demand.
Lionsgate is reportedly poised to become the first major Hollywood studio to return to Russian theaters since 2022. The studio plans to release Ballerina, a John Wick spinoff starring Ana de Armas, on June 5 through local distributor Atmosfera Kino. While Lionsgate has not issued an official statement, a source familiar with the decision told Variety that the company is now approaching Russian releases case by case.
The move comes as international box office revenue remains sluggish and the political climate shows signs of easing. Rumors also have it that other studios may follow Lionsgate’s lead, especially as expectations rise for a possible diplomatic breakthrough between Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump’s new innings. While Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps and Paramount’s Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning aren’t expected to screen in Russia, the door is seemingly open for future releases.
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According to an industry figure present at the Cannes Film Festival, Russian buyers have returned in full force and appear eager to reengage with the global film industry. Recent diplomatic meetings between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia have also helped shift the tone. Trump has publicly stated his intent to pursue economic ventures with Moscow, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that American companies could benefit significantly once peace is reached.
Russia, before 2022, was Hollywood’s sixth-largest importer. Although major studios suspended operations in the territory in 2022, a handful of titles, such as Oppenheimer, still quietly made their way into Russian theaters. Independent companies like A24 and Neon never fully pulled out, continuing to release films through Europe-based distributors. Some titles like Anora and Longlegs performed particularly well.
With China becoming more reserved with U.S. entertainment imports and the global box office still recovering from both COVID-19 and the recent Hollywood strikes, Russia’s potential as a market is hard to ignore. One insider believes a broader return is only a matter of time. A cinema executive in Russia, on the other hand, noted that the local industry worked double shifts to fill the void left by Hollywood’s absence.
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