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Saudi Cinema Booms: Record Ticket Sales and Local Productions Rise

Saudi Arabia’s cinema industry has seen remarkable growth, with ticket sales reaching SAR 657 million in the first nine months of 2024. The Saudi Film Commission reported that 52 films grossed SAR 10.7 million last week alone. In the same week, around 222,000 tickets were sold across theaters in the kingdom.

The American film “Joker: Folie à Deux” topped the Saudi box office again, earning SAR 3 million this week. This success raised its total revenue to SAR 9.1 million, maintaining its strong performance in the market. Muvi Studios, the production division of Saudi cinema chain Muvi Cinemas, sold over 150,000 tickets for its co-produced films. Fouad Al Khatib, the artistic production director at Muvi Studios, announced plans to produce 11 Saudi films in two years.

Rapid Expansion of Theaters

Since reopening cinemas in April 2018 after nearly four decades, the Kingdom has rapidly expanded its entertainment offerings. The country now has 66 cinemas, featuring 618 screens and 63,300 seats across 22 cities—making it the largest cinema market in the Arab region. Events like the Red Sea International Film Festival, launched in December 2021, have attracted Arab and foreign filmmakers.

In February, Saudi Arabia announced a new investment fund, the Big Time Fund, aimed at supporting Arab filmmaking. Turki Al Alsheikh, head of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA), said the fund focuses on upgrading Arab content in film production and distribution. GEA, along with the Saudi Culture Ministry and specialized entertainment firms, will sponsor the initiative. The fund’s first phase aims to invest in producing Saudi, Gulf, and Arab films.

2024 Box Office Success

In the first half of 2024, Saudi cinemas sold 8.5 million tickets, generating SAR 421.8 million in revenue. Two Saudi-produced films were among the top three earners, according to Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al-Saud, Minister of Culture. While he did not disclose the film titles, he highlighted the achievement as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

 

Saudi Films Making Their Mark

Saudi films continue to thrive despite Hollywood’s dominance. Mandoob (Night Courier), a Riyadh-based thriller by Saudi filmmaker Ali Kalthami, has topped the box office since its debut in early 2024. The film premiered at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah and tells the story of Fahad, a night courier who sells alcohol illegally to support his ailing father.

Last year, the family comedy Sattar, about a man chasing his dream of becoming a freestyle wrestling champion, broke records. It earned $2.2 million in its first 12 days, making it the highest-grossing Saudi movie to date.

Saudi Arabia’s cinema sector is expected to keep growing, building on these successes and the government’s ongoing investment in local productions.

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