Hollywood Returning to Russia? Kremlin-Friendly Streamers Claim Talks Are Underway

Russian video streaming platforms are negotiating with major Hollywood studios to restore their film libraries for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the RBC news outlet reported on February 19, citing industry sources.

“The situation has changed somewhat in recent days,” said Artyom Sargsyan, head of PR at Russia’s leading video-on-demand service Okko. “We’ve resumed communication with some of the [studios] that had not previously contacted us, which indicates a change in their categorical position.”

His remarks seemed to reference U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to engage in direct talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, which the Kremlin has described as a possible move toward improving relations.

“But it is too early to talk about the return of [film] catalogs, premieres, and especially the timing of this return since everything depends on the political situation,” Sargsyan told RBC.

While he did not specify which studios are involved, Disney, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros., and Paramount all withdrew from the Russian market in 2022 following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Previously, Russian actor Yura Borisov, known for his roles in Kremlin-backed films and visits to occupied Crimea, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in Sean Baker’s “Anora”, as announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on January 23.