Only one out of 67 Russian films released in domestic cinemas over the summer managed to break even, according to film critic David Shneiderov.
Speaking at the National News Service press center, Shneiderov revealed that the Yakut musical comedy Sayylykka was the sole domestic movie from the three-month period to recoup its costs.
Shneiderov noted that Russian viewers turned their attention to unauthorized Hollywood titles instead. Over the past month, consumers in Russia spent more than 7 million rubles on Spider-Man costumes, boosting outfit sales by 119 percent.
The critic described attending a pirated screening of Spider-Man in a packed theater full of children wearing Spider-Man costumes. He noted that all product placement was present and that the costumes had been sold legally within the country.
Growth in Pirated Video Market
Shneiderov warned that online piracy has also increased, pointing out that revenues for pirated video services rose for the first time since 2019. Market volume grew by 4 percent in the first half of the year to exceed 17 million dollars.
The domestic market shift has also affected official Russian releases. Alexey Vasyasin, head of Russia's largest cinema chain Cinema Park and Formula Kino, previously addressed the issue at the National News Service press center.
Vasyasin stated that a low audience rating for the Russian film The Last Warrior. Kolobok was not caused by its artistic merit or script quality. Instead, he attributed the negative feedback to online hate driven by interest in Spider-Man.
Regional Cinema and Theater Chains
Yakutian filmmakers in eastern Siberia have developed a thriving regional movie industry known as Sakhawood. The region regularly produces low-budget films that compete strongly at local box offices against national blockbusters.
Major Hollywood studios suspended official film distribution in Russia in 2022. Cinema Park and Formula Kino, which forms the nation's largest theater network, operates multiplexes across major Russian cities that have struggled to replace major Western studio releases.
