Since 2018, the combined seating capacity of 69 Saudi movie theatres has surpassed 64,000, with the participation of over seven operators across more than 20 cities in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM) has announced that the total revenue generated from ticket sales has exceeded SAR 3bn ($800m) since the opening of cinemas in the country, according to a report by Saudi Gazette. As per the GCAM sources, 51m tickets have been sold thus far.
Saudi Arabia now boasts 69 movie theatres with more than 64,000 seats, operated by more than seven cinema companies across over 20 cities. The total number of display screens in these theatres has surged past 620.
Saudi-produced films have demonstrated their strong presence, with the number of screened films surpassing 33. Notably, the highest-grossing film at the box office is the American action drama Top Gun: Maverick, which has sold more than 1.2m tickets, raking in revenues exceeding SAR 84m ($22.39m).
The growth of the Saudi cinema sector is particularly impressive, with a recorded 28% increase during Q2 2023. The Ministry of Commerce’s recent business sector bulletin highlights significant surges in various promising sectors in the Kingdom, including cinema, entertainment, and the arts.
