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Russia Dreams of “Cheburland”—Its Own Vision for a Homegrown Disneyland
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Russia could develop a homegrown equivalent of Disneyland centered on characters from domestic animated films and cinema, said Ayrat Gibatdinov, a member of the Federation Council’s culture committee, according to TASS on January 24.
According to Gibatdinov, Soviet-era characters form a “cultural universe” that he said is capable of competing with Western franchises.
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“Such a project could become a space where domestic characters are given a new life: rides, interactive zones, theatrical performances, and multimedia formats. It also needs a name that feels clear and familiar,” Gibatdinov added.
He added that the project should have a clear and accessible name, suggesting something “along the lines of Cheburland ” as an example.
As a reference point, the senator mentioned Moscow’s amusement park Island of Dreams, but said it falls short of Disneyland in terms of scale. In his view, a full-fledged project should combine rides, interactive zones, theatrical performances, and multimedia formats designed for family audiences.
Gibatdinov also said that Russian society has recently shown a growing drive to “strengthen the domestic cultural code,” which he argued has increased demand for the “reinterpretation and popularization” of Soviet creative heritage.
He added that similar Disneyland-style parks should eventually be established in multiple regions across the country.
At the same time, foreign films temporarily disappeared from major Russian cinema chains over the New Year holidays.
So-called “alternative screenings” of Western films and animated features, including titles such as Avatar 3 and Zootopia 2, were halted throughout the January holiday period. These screenings refer to unofficial showings of foreign content that became widespread in Russia after legal distribution was partially restricted following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the withdrawal of Hollywood studios from the market.
According to The Moscow Times, the Cinema Owners Association planned to suspend all foreign film screenings during the holiday period, limiting cinema schedules to officially released Russian productions.
Earlier, it was reported that Russian film studio Mosfilm and several state-run museums in Russia’s Leningrad region have secretly provided the Russian military with drones, electronic warfare equipment, and Starlink terminals, while publicly presenting these deliveries as “humanitarian aid.”
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