Russian cinema chain head Alexey Vasyasin has blamed low audience ratings for Russian fantasy movie The Last Bogatyr Kolobok on anger from Spider-Man fans rather than the film's script or artistic quality.
Vasyasin, who leads Russia's largest combined theatre network Cinema Park and Formula Kino, told a National News Service press conference that online hostility erupted after domestic screenings of a new Spider-Man movie were delayed to accommodate the local release. He stressed that a clear distinction must be made between evaluating the quality of a film and the events surrounding its release.
The controversy began before Kolobok launched in Russian cinemas on August 6, prompting headline coverage in media outlets that reported on online haters trying to destroy what commentators described as a pastry misunderstanding. Superhero fans were angered after the unofficial Russian premiere of the latest Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland and Zendaya was pushed back from its worldwide debut on July 27 to August 20.
Major Hollywood studios do not officially distribute films in Russia, leading cinemas to screen unofficial pirated copies of blockbusters. Kolobok is a spin-off in Russia's popular Bogatyr fantasy movie franchise, which tells stories based on traditional Russian folklore and fairy tales, including the legendary animated round loaf of bread known as Kolobok.
Box office collections and September outlook
Despite the online campaign, Vasyasin reported that Kolobok has already grossed roughly 850 million roubles at the box office and continues to generate revenue.
He explained that the movie would enjoy a long theatrical run as children return to cinemas for the new school year and September remains open without competing major releases. Vasyasin added that while time would tell if total receipts reach 1.5 billion roubles, box office earnings will definitely cross one billion roubles.
The film's director, Anton Maslov, previously admitted that securing comedian Garik Kharlamov to voice the title character was a major achievement for the production, according to the Radiotochka NSN Telegram channel. Maslov noted that convincing the performer to join the project had proved difficult.
