Updated

Russian theater owners' association chairman Alexey Voronkov said unlicensed screenings of foreign films, currently shown under the guise of 'pre-show services,' will end by New Year's. He added that officially licensed Russian releases of major foreign titles, such as the next Dune installment, are unlikely before April 2027. The announcement reflects the continuing fallout from Western sanctions and studio boycotts of the Russian market since the invasion of Ukraine, which has pushed domestic cinemas toward informal workarounds to screen foreign blockbusters.