Screenplay: 42 American films to be released in Russia in 2025

Two weeks ago, there were 35 titles of American pictures in the release schedule in Russia. Now there are already 42, not counting re-releases of old films. Among the main novelties - action movie "Ballerina" from the universe of "John Wick", "Monkey" Osgood Perkins on Stephen King, "Showgirl" with Pamela Anderson, "Horizons 2" Kevin Costner and "Under Fire" Alex Garland. To these novelties may soon be added Hollywood blockbusters - the industry notes that the new stage of relations between Russia and the United States may create conditions for the return of Hollywood majors. But, as experts explained to Izvestia, this will not be quick or easy.

Russia made deals at the Berlin film market

Russian distributors do not rule out the return of Hollywood studios in the near future due to the new stage of relations between Russia and the United States. At the European Film Market, which has just been held in conjunction with the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, they believe in the imminent return of the majors, a source told Izvestia. Another Izvestia interlocutor said that Russian film companies have made a number of deals for foreign releases, which to date have not yet closed. How many of these include American films will become known in the coming weeks as the companies announce their deals.

At the same time, at least 42 American releases will officially enter Russian distribution by the end of 2025. Two weeks ago in the schedule of premieres was about 35 films from American studios. Among the main novelties action movie "Ballerina" from the universe of "John Wick", horror "Monkey" Osgood Perkins on the story of the same name by Stephen King, "Showgirl" with Pamela Anderson, the second part of "Horizons" Kevin Costner, "Under Fire" Alex Garland. In March, Russian viewers will see Mel Gibson's thriller "Extra Dangerous Passenger" with Mark Wahlberg, and in May the screens will be released family fantasy "The Eyes" with Willem Defoe, Emily Watson and Finn Wolfhard in the lead roles. In the film distribution company Arna Media, which in 2024 officially brought the triumphant "Anora" to Russia, said that they will release another Perkins film in Russia, we are talking about the horror "Creeper". Last year's release of Osgood Perkins' "Soul Collector", which was also legally shown in our country, became a box office hit worldwide. With a budget of $10 million, the American studio NEON ("Parasites", "Anatomy of a Fall", "Anora" - its films in recent years have won at the Cannes Film Festival) "Soul Collector" earned more than $108 million, of which almost 400 million rubles in Russia.

In addition, among the films that received this year's Oscar nominations, five pictures were bought for Russian distribution. These are "Anora", "Conclave", "Substance", "Maria" and "The Apprentice. The Rise of Trump." The latter, however, never received a rental license and eventually did not come out. "Izvestia" became the only Russian media that then talked to the creators of the movie.

It will not be easy for the Hollywood majors to come back

Alexei Byrdin, general director of the Internet Video Association, noted that the departure of major Western movie studios from the Russian market was a political gesture, not a result of the sanctions imposed. He also reminded that, apart from the five major studios and Netflix streaming, virtually all American and many European rights holders have not stopped working in Russia, and their films continue to be legally released in theaters and online.

- Those who left have the opportunity to return at any time, and the resumption of political contacts between Russia and the United States may create conditions for this. In general, many Russian viewers would like foreign content to return, but it should be understood that after the studios left, the regulation of the information environment in Russia changed quite significantly and continues to change, including in terms of the protection of traditional values. So if content returns, it will not be all of it. The Russian market of offline and digital distribution has a good potential, foreign studios are well aware of this and may indeed return, if the efforts of Russian and US diplomats to resume economic ties will stop being held back by sanctions and will begin to be encouraged and normalized," the expert told Izvestia.

Nina Romodanovskaya, editor-in-chief of the ProfiCinema portal, in turn, notes: for studios, the attitude of the audience in the domestic market - the main economic territory - is more important. Therefore, someone will want to return sooner, and someone later. But what is already clear is that they will return to completely different positions.

- In Russia, there is already a lobby of large domestic companies, primarily large media holdings that produce and release films themselves. The redistribution of the market will, of course, be completely different, not like it was in the 1990s, when American studios entered freely and on their own terms. However, it was thanks to them that Russian film distribution rose," the expert explained.

Romodanovskaya added that over 30 years, film distribution has changed a lot, and after the departure of the majors players who have already received their large market share, of course, will not be ready to give it back. Therefore, according to the ProfiCinema CEO, the return of American studios to Russia will not be easy.

Another important point is the content of Western content, to which the current Russian legislation has many questions. And while there are not many films with a childfree message, since the West is also interested in population growth and does not pedal this topic, LGBT issues, for example, are widely represented.

- But again, until now, because things can change quickly in the US too, we all watched the inauguration of Donald Trump. And if at this year's Sundance festival most of the films were devoted to the problems of the queer community, what will happen next year is a question," Nina Romodanovskaya concluded.

What else will now have to be taken into account is the situation with the issuance and non-issuance of rental certificates for certain dates (without this document theaters have no right to show the film). It happened both before the pandemic and before the majors left the country. "Bread" dates on New Year's vacations or holiday weekends will go to potential box office Russian blockbusters, and Western films - on a residual principle.

Admittedly, this is unlikely to interfere much with big American releases, if they do return. For three years away from the projects of the majors Russian cinema has not created a detailed system of genres, said interlocutors "Izvestia" in the industry. Instead of offering diversity, studios have only produced family fantasy and comedies, and in this field they can compete with Hollywood, but, for example, superhero action movies we still do not have, as well as horror, thrillers or, for example, courtroom dramas. Therefore, Hollywood will organically occupy the empty niches, even if it "cedes" the New Year vacations to Russia.