Cinema, reborn from zero
From 0 cinema screens in 2017 to 700+ at 60+ locations across 16 governorates
Vibrant Society pillar2 sourcesLast verified 2026-05-18
Hero metric
Cinema screens
700+
2025From 0 cinema screens in 2017 to 700+ at 60+ locations across 16 governorates
Publishers include: SPA · Arab News
The Story
Before
Commercial cinema had been closed in Saudi Arabia since the early 1980s. In 2017, there were no operating cinema screens nationwide.
Initiative
Cinema licensing resumed in 2017 with the establishment of GEA. International chains (AMC, VOX) and Saudi operators opened theaters.
Outcome
Saudi now has 700+ cinema screens across 60+ locations in 16 governorates. The cinema box office exceeds SAR 1B annually.
For citizens
A weekend night at the cinema with family — a small ordinary pleasure unavailable for nearly four decades — is now part of Saudi life again.
Timeline of Milestones
2017
Cinema licensing resumed; 0 operating screens
2018
First commercial cinema opens (AMC, Riyadh)
2025
700+ screens across 60+ locations
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+
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+
MDLBeast Soundstorm — biggest Saudi music festival
700,000+ attendees at a single multi-day festival
700K+
Initiative attribution: General Entertainment Authority (GEA); Quality of Life Program; commercial cinema licensing reform. Citizen benefit category: Cultural life.