Spider-Man: Brand New Day has made its way onto cinema screens across Russia despite the absence of an official theatrical release from Sony Pictures, highlighting the unusual distribution system that has emerged in the country since Hollywood studios withdrew from the Russian market.
Hundreds of fans reportedly turned up at cinemas to watch the latest Spider-Man film, with some even wearing costumes associated with the iconic superhero.
But how is a major Hollywood production being screened in Russia when Sony Pictures does not officially distribute its films there?
Hollywood studios withdrew from Russia
The situation dates back to the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when many major Hollywood studios suspended or stopped their theatrical releases in the Russian market.
Sony Pictures was among the companies that halted its official theatrical distribution in Russia. As a result, new Hollywood films were no longer expected to arrive through the normal channels used in other international markets.
However, the withdrawal of Hollywood studios did not completely prevent Russian cinemas from showing foreign films.
Instead, an alternative system known as parallel or unofficial distribution began to emerge.
How parallel distribution works
Under this system, independent distributors obtain copies of films outside the official distribution networks operated by Hollywood studios.
They can then arrange screenings with individual cinemas, allowing audiences to watch movies that the original studios have not officially released in Russia.
This means a film can appear on a Russian cinema schedule even though the studio behind it has not authorised its release in the country.
In the case of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Sony Pictures has not officially distributed the movie in Russia. Its appearance in Russian cinemas is instead linked to the unofficial distribution practices that have become more common since the Hollywood exodus.
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Why can cinemas still show foreign films?
Russia has not imposed a blanket ban preventing cinemas from screening every foreign movie.
The country’s copyright and distribution framework is complicated, and the withdrawal of Hollywood companies created a gap that independent distributors have attempted to fill.
According to reporting cited by NBC News, screenings arranged without the necessary distribution rights can violate Russian and international copyright rules. However, authorities have at times been accused of taking a relatively permissive approach toward such screenings.
As a result, cinemas and independent distributors have continued to find ways to bring international movies to Russian audiences.
Hollywood blockbusters continue to find an audience
The practice is not limited to the latest Spider-Man film. Other major Hollywood productions have previously appeared in Russian cinemas through similar unofficial arrangements.
For moviegoers, the system provides continued access to major international releases despite the departure of Hollywood studios from the market.
For studios, however, such screenings are fundamentally different from an authorised theatrical release. The original companies do not control the distribution process in the same way they would in markets where they have official partners.
The case of Spider-Man: Brand New Day therefore illustrates how Russia’s cinema market has adapted to the absence of Hollywood’s formal distribution networks. While studios have largely stepped away, demand for their biggest films remains — and parallel distribution has created a way for Russian audiences to continue watching them.
