The Disney+ streaming platform removed the classic 1997 Russia-based cartoon “Anastasia” in March.
Twitter and Instagram users have been sharing a screenshot from the account @MoreDisneyPlus assuming that the film was removed due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (RELATED: Russia Drafts Plans For Public Executions In Captured Cities: REPORT)
This is ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/YBNBLNlDoa
— Rothmus 🏴 (@Rothmus) March 3, 2022
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“Anastasia” is not Disney film. It was made by 20th Century Studios, and was only added to the Disney+ streaming platform in December 2020, after having previously been available on HBO Max, according to the blog What’s On Disney Plus. “With the start of a brand new month, Disney is often forced to remove some content from Disney+ in the United States due to pre-existing contracts made before Disney+ was created,” reported the Disney blog.
The children’s classic is moving to Starz as of March 18, according to reports by Vulture. The outlet went on to note that only a few Russian titles remain on the Disney+ platform.
The Disney blog commented that, unlike other streaming services such as Netflix or Hulu, Disney+ does not inform subscribers before content is removed. The writers further enforced that the removal of “Anastasia” has “nothing to do with the current crisis involving Ukraine and Russia.”