Annual Saudi cinema box office
Over SAR 1 billion in box-office revenue every year
Vibrant Society pillar2 sourcesLast verified 2026-05-18
Hero metric
Cinema box office
SAR 1B+
AnnualOver SAR 1 billion in box-office revenue every year
Publishers include: SPA · Arab News
The Story
Before
No commercial cinema box office existed in Saudi pre-2018.
Initiative
After 2018 licensing resumption, international and Saudi cinema chains opened theaters. A Saudi film production fund supported domestic films.
Outcome
Annual cinema box office now exceeds SAR 1 billion — sustained year over year.
For citizens
A real Saudi film industry is forming. A market exists for both international and domestic Saudi films.
Timeline of Milestones
2018
First commercial cinema reopens
2024
Annual cinema box office crosses SAR 1B
Evidence library · 2 primary sources
Sorted by tier, newest first
An entertainment industry, built from zero
89 million visits to events and venues in 2025
89M+
Cinema, reborn from zero
From 0 cinema screens in 2017 to 700+ at 60+ locations across 16 governorates
700+
Riyadh Season — country's biggest festival
13 million visits to the multi-month festival in 2024-2025
13M
Saudis employed in entertainment
100,000+ direct jobs in the entertainment sector
100K+
Initiative attribution: GEA cinema licensing; commercial cinema chains (AMC, VOX, Muvi); Saudi film production fund. Citizen benefit category: Cultural life.