Two upcoming Hollywood movies are steering clear of Vladimir Putin.
Fearful that hostile parties would attempt to hack their networks, two studios are omitting a character based on the Russian president from a couple of 2018 films, according to a report on Wednesday.
Putin will end up on the cutting room floor despite the original material for the films — Fox’s “Red Sparrow” and EuropaCorp’s “Kursk” — referencing the world leader, The Hollywood Reporter said.
Fears of hacking have gripped Tinseltown since Sony Pictures fell victim to a cybercrime as it prepared to release “The Interview” in 2014. The comedy was about a plot to assassinate North Korea strongman Kim Jong-un.
“Red Sparrow” is about “a sexy Russian spy [who] falls for a CIA officer and considers becoming a double agent,” according to IMDb. Top-grossing actress Jennifer Lawrence plays the spy in the thriller expected in March.
“Red Sparrow” is based on a 2013 novel by former CIA officer Jason Matthews. “And though Putin has a key role in the book, he was dropped,” THR wrote.
However, one Hollywood source insisted Putin was never in the script.
“Kursk” is a drama about a Russian sub that sank in 2000 and the Kremlin’ s negligence that followed.
Putin had been in the script before nervous executives decided to cut him out, a source said.



