Cinemas roar to life in Saudi Arabia
Today, Riyadh will screen the Marvel superhero film ‘Black Panther’, lifting a 35-year ban on movie theatres in the country
In one of the postcredit scenes in Black Panther, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is seen addressing world leaders at the United Nations where he fiercely says: “The wise build bridges.”
For Saudi Arabia, which stands at the cusp of economic and social reforms, today is when the country lays a foundation for those bridges as the 35-year ban on cinemas in the Kingdom is lifted.
Men and women will head into AMC’s first cinema, located in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District. The building itself was intended to be symphony concert hall, AMC CEO Adam Aron said in an interview with Reuters earlier, adding that 500 seats, orchestra and balcony levels and marble bathrooms will welcome patrons.
Three more screens are to be added by summer.
It is perhaps befitting that the first movie to be screened in Saudi Arabia after the ban is Black Panther, a Hollywood trailblazer that refused to conform to notions, signalling a new age in filmmaking.
With a population of more than 33 million, the Kingdom constitutes the largest market in the Arabian Gulf with a $1 billion (Dh3.7 billion) industry potential in box office receipts, according to analysts.
In December’s landmark decision between
the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) and the American theatrical exhibitor AMC, 30-40 cinemas are expected to open in 15 cities in the Kingdom over the next five years, and a total of 50-100 cinemas in 25 Saudi Arabian cities by the year 2030.
Other players in the market are expected to raise that number to 350 cinemas, with more than 2,500 screens, by 2030.
The Kuwait National Cinema Company and the UAE-based Front Row Filmed Entertainment’s exhibition arm, Cinescape Cinemas, are already looking to launch the first phase of multiplexes in Saudi Arabia this year.
“The resurgence of cinema halls in Saudi Arabia automatically means an expansion of the cinema industry. Potentially the Kingdom could become the epicentre of the theatrical business in the region,” Front Row managing partner, Gianluca Chakra told tabloid!.
Speaking about their own plans, he added: “Our partners at the Kuwait National Cinema Company and Cinescape Cinemas have announced that they will be opening three multiplexes in three different cities: Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam — total 27 screens — with an extra 12 multiplexes opening up in the next three years. Other than distributing Western and Arabic speaking films, we are looking into developing local content for the country, as well as for the region enhancing local talent and exporting these.”
They aren’t alone in recognising Saudi Arabia’s potential. Novo Cinemas’ CEO Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen said: “We are looking very closely at Saudi Arabia during this historic time and it is top of our radar. We have had a number of discussions with potential partners including mall operators and we will be taking it forward very soon. We’d like to be in the country by the end of the year.”
In an earlier statement released following Saudi Arabia’s announcement, UAEbased Majid Al Futtaim also recognised Saudi Arabia’s market potential, saying: “These are exciting times and will work with the Kingdom to extend the footprint of our Vox Cinemas brand to Saudi Arabia in the months ahead.”
A UAE-based distributor who declined to be named said: “Going by the choice of a Marvel superhero film as its opener, one can hope other Marvel movies will also make the cut, such as the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War, along with the new Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Solo: A Star Wars Story.”