Russian authorities block release of Child 44, starring Hardy & Oldman

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Only days before opening in cinemas around the country, Russian authorities have blocked the release of the new Tom Hardy/Gary Oldman thriller CHILD 44.

Claiming factual inaccuracies, The Russian Ministry of Culture has halted the release of CHILD 44 for "distortion of historic facts and willful interpretation of events … as well as images and characters of Soviet citizens of the period.” The decision was made after government officials screened the movie yesterday. At this time, there's no telling if the film will be released in the country at all.

Still slated for limited release in the U.S. this weekend however, as well as about 20 other markets:

A politically-charged serial killer thriller set in 1953 Soviet Russia, CHILD 44 chronicles the crisis of conscience for secret police agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy), who loses status, power and home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace), as a traitor. Exiled from Moscow to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to track down a serial killer who preys on young boys. Their quest for justice threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Leo’s psychopathic rival Vasili (Joel Kinnaman), who insists “There is no crime in Paradise.”

Daniel Espinosa directed the flick for Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment. Word is Russia's Central Partnership bought rights to the script way back in 2011, and suggested changes that would refrain from national defamation. Obviously, those changes were not made to the satisfaction of those in charge.

My guess is this will just be a marketing coup for Espinosa and company and that the profile of the picture will only grow as a result of this decision. What do you think?