Saudi Arabia hosts first public film screening
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia was to host Its irst public ilm SCREENING In over 35 years on Friday, US movie giant AMC said, two days after it unveiled the kingdom’ s debut theatre in riyadh.
Tickets for an 8.30pm (1730 GMT) show of THE Blockbuster Action ilm Black Panther appeared to have sold out minutes after AMC Entertainment began online sales around midnight.
“Sorry! Tickets have been sold out, please check back later,” the retailer Noon.com said on its website.
AMC chief executive Adam Aron on Wednesday said its multiplex theatre at Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District will for now operate one screen with a seating capacity of around 250.
He said plans were afoot for three more screens in the coming months.
The country lifted the decades-long ban on cinemas last year as part of a farreaching modernisation drive, with AMC Entertainment GRANTED THE irst LICENCE to operate movie theatres.
“Welcome to the era when movies can be watched by Saudis not in Bahrain, not in Dubai, not in London but inside the kingdom,” Aron said on Wednesday at the launch of the theatre.
International theatre chains have long eyed Saudi Arabia as the Middle East’s last untapped mass market, with its more than 30 million people, the majority of whom are under 25.
AMC will face stiff competition from heavyweights such as Dubai-based VOX Cinemas, which on Thursday announced it had also secured a government license to operate in Saudi Arabia and would open THE kingdom’s irst IMAX THEATRE in the coming days.
Majid Al Futtaim’s VOX Cinemas, the MENA region’s largest cinema operator, Is Honoured to BE AWARDED one of THE irst licenses to operate cinema sin saudi arabia.
Its brand-new cinema, which will be the irst multiplex In SAUDI ARABIA will open at Riyadh Park Mall in the coming days.
Thursday’s announcement paves the way for VOX Cinemas to start delivering on an ambitious plan to bring its worldclass cinema entertainment portfolio to Saudi Arabia and support the growth of audio-visual and creative talent across the Kingdom.
The VOX Cinemas Riyadh Park experience will include four screens located within the largest Magic Planet Family Entertainment Centre in the region.
Content including animation, familyFriendly ilms AND EDUCATIONAL movies will be available through a completely unique AND world-class portfolio of viewing experiences.