Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

How VOX aims to play starring role in Saudi Arabia's cinema blockbuster

How VOX aims to play starring role in Saudi Arabia's cinema blockbuster

Senior exec at Majid Al Futtaim reveals plan to treble screen count in the kingdom by the end of the year
Just over two years since cinema screens were switched on in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom is set to dominate the industry in the Middle East, according to Cameron Mitchell, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Cinema Entertainment Leisure.

Majid Al Futtaim’s VOX Cinema launched the first Cineplex in the kingdom in Riyadh Park Mall back in 2018 and Mitchell revealed extensive growth plans for the remainder of this year, despite the industry taking a hammering from Covid-19-enforced closures.

He said: “We will triple our screen count in Saudi Arabia this year. We’ll double our location count. I think at the moment we’re on about 112 screens and we’ll end the year at roughly 150. We’ll be at least 250 at the end of next year, depending on how quickly developers are building their developments.”

VOX Cinemas - the biggest exhibition chain in the Middle East operating some 550 screens across the region - has reopened its venues in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar, while its venue in Beirut is currently awaiting government approval to reopen after the devastating blast at the start of next month. Mitchell hopes that sites in Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman will open their doors again “in the next month”.

But it is the potential of Saudi Arabia – where they are currently operating cinemas 24-hours-a-day in some venues - that excites him the most, with a prediction that the kingdom will boast up to as many as 2,000 screens in the next five years.

He explained: “Saudi Arabia from now onwards will be the biggest Middle Eastern market for cinema. Historically the trend was always the UAE was half of the Middle East box office and all the other countries made up the other half.

What’s going to happen next year or probably the year after, Saudi Arabia will be half, UAE will be 25 percent and the remainder of the Middle East will be 25 percent.

“Saudi will be ultimately twice the size of the UAE. It’s ahead now but it will ultimately double, just by population alone. You’ve got circa eight million people in the UAE and you’ve got eight million people in Riyadh.”

The 30-year ban on cinemas was lifted as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to reform the energy-dominated economy.

Mitchell is confident the country will become a top ten global market for cinema, with ResearchAndMarkets.com forecasting the industry in the kingdom will be worth more than $1.2 billion by the end of 2030.

“Global box office is normally $42-$43 billion. To get another billion dollars from a market that didn’t exist three years ago for our industry is amazing,” he said.

He added that the increased number of cinemas is also good news for movie lovers and the general Saudi public.

“You’ve got a captive market that’s really excited to see all types of content just like the rest of us and to enjoy entertainment with their friends and we see that growth continuing for many years to come,” said Mitchell.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×