From Ban to Blockbuster: Saudi Arabia’s $Billion Film Revival Takes Global Center Stage

CAIRO — In a striking transformation just a few years in the making, Saudi Arabia’s film industry has catapulted from obscurity to global spotlight — powered by billion-dollar investments, visionary leadership, and an ambitious cultural agenda. Once home to a decades-long cinema ban, the Kingdom now boasts a thriving, fast-growing entertainment ecosystem with film at its heart.
At the core of this evolution lies Saudi Vision 2023, a national development blueprint launched in 2016 aimed at reducing the Kingdom’s dependence on oil by building robust sectors like tourism, tech, and entertainment. The film industry — virtually non-existent just a decade ago — now plays a key role in this vision.
Cinema as a Catalyst
Vision 2023 forecasts the entertainment sector contributing 3% of GDP and creating 100,000 jobs by 2030. Central to this effort are institutions such as the Film Commission, General Entertainment Authority (GEA), and Cultural Development Fund, which together have laid the foundation for a robust cinematic infrastructure.
Investment Unleashed
Saudi Arabia reopened its cinemas in 2018 after a 35-year ban, and since then, it has funneled enormous capital into its film renaissance. The Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN) — the PIF’s entertainment arm — was launched with a war chest of SAR 10 billion (over $2.6 billion) to expand cinema experiences nationwide.
The Saudi Film Fund, launched last year with a $100 million purse, is designed to finance both domestic and international productions. GEA also introduced the Big Time Fund, focused on elevating Arab cinema by backing high-profile films featuring top regional talent. One notable production under this initiative is “7Dogs”, a Riyadh-shot thriller budgeted at $40 million — the largest budget ever for an Arab film.
Screens, Sales, and Surging Interest
Since 2018, Saudi Arabia has rapidly expanded its theatrical footprint — growing from just 45 cinema screens to 600 across 69 venues by 2023. These new cinemas helped push box office revenues to SAR 3.7 billion last year, with more than 61 million tickets sold and nearly 2,000 films screened, including 45 homegrown productions.
The momentum continued in Q1 of 2025, with Saudi box office revenues reaching SAR 127 million — a 4% jump from the same period in the previous year.
Global Stage, Local Stories
Saudi Arabia isn’t just consuming global cinema — it’s becoming a contributor. The Red Sea Film Festival, launched in 2021, has already supported over 250 filmmakers worldwide and earned its place as a marquee event on the international film circuit.
Saudi filmmakers are actively engaging in international co-productions to overcome funding gaps, enhance their technical capabilities, and widen distribution. Notably, the Saudi Film Commission inked a strategic MoU with China’s Bona Film Group, pledging collaboration in film distribution, training, and even a proposed joint production fund.
The “Saudi Film Nights” tour has also brought Saudi-made movies to screens worldwide, fostering cultural exchange and boosting global recognition for local storytellers.
Lights, Camera, Kingdom
In a remarkably short time, Saudi Arabia has pivoted from cinematic silence to a booming, globally connected film scene. With new mega-investments, strategic international alliances, and a growing roster of local talent, the Kingdom is not just building a film industry — it’s shaping a cultural revolution.
The spotlight is on Saudi Arabia now, and the reel is still rolling.