Moviegoers in Texas got quite the experience when a screening of the new comic-book thriller “The Batman” was interpreted by an actual bat winging its way through the theater!
During a screening of “The Batman” in Austin on its opening night, a real-live bat somehow made its way inside the theater and began flying around, footage from inside the multiplex shows.
Breann Wharton, who shared a video of the incident with local TV station KXAN, said the theater’s management paused the film to make multiple attempts to remove the bat but were ultimately unsuccessful.
Wharton said the theater — Moviehouse & Eatery by Cinépolis — then offered to give everyone another ticket and cover their tabs, but the majority of the crowd opted to stay and watch the film, “bat and all.”
KXAN reached out to the Moviehouse & Eatery to find out what happened to the bat or whether the management had learned how it got inside – however, they did not receive a response.
The Batman and Other Films Will Not Be Released in Russia
Meanwhile, live bats or no bats, moviegoers in Russia should not expect to see “The Batman” anytime soon, nor any new release from Disney, SONY, or Warner Bros.
Disney said it is pausing all theatrical releases in Russia, including the upcoming Pixar film “Turning Red,” citing the “unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis.”
“We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation,” Disney said. In a recent statement to the press. “In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance.”
A few hours after Disney’s decision was announced, Warner Bros said, “In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film “The Batman” in Russia. We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy.”
Following Disney and Warner Bros, Sony Pictures announced it would also pause all its theatrical releases in Russia, including “Morbius,” which stars Jared Leto as the Marvel antihero and was set to open on March 24.
“Given the ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region, we will be pausing our planned theatrical releases in Russia, including the upcoming release of Morbius,” a Sony Pictures spokesperson said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been impacted and hope this crisis will be resolved quickly.”
Other Warner Bros films due to be released in Russia soon included Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore on April 14 and the animated DC League of Super-Pets on May 19.