Published in Screen Daily, the Saudi Film Commission reported on topline 2023 metrics for Saudi Arabia’s growing film industry. With more than 50% of the Saudi population under 25, there is a significant appetite for cinema, particularly for US action films, Egyptian comedies, and Saudi narratives.
The Saudi Film Commission has confirmed that 2023 continued rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s film industry across all sectors including moviegoers, cinemas, box office and film production capacity. Key 2023 data includes:
- As of October 2023, seven cinema operators with licenses in the Kingdom managed a total of 69 cinemas, 628 screens, and nearly 65,000 seats. This breaks down to an average of 1.7 screens and 176 seats for every 100,000 people. The pace of growth has been rapid, with a 19% year-on-year increase in screens and seats.
- 443 films were released in local cinemas, amassing 17.4 million admissions – an impressive increase of more than 20% from 2022. Total ticket sales exceeded $240 million, propelling Saudi Arabia to the 15th position globally in box office rankings for the year, according to ComScore.
- The top three highest-grossing films in Saudi Arabia during 2023 were Oppenheimer, Sattar, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.
- Saudi Arabia holds more than 32,000 square meters of available studio space, including 11 sound stages larger than 1,500 square meters. Additionally, multiple studios are under development in various cities across the country, equipped with world-class production facilities.
Sattar, produced locally and directed by Kuwaiti film-maker Abdullah Al-Arak grossed $10.8 million becoming the kingdom’s eighth-highest-grossing movie of all time, surpassing Hollywood titles such as The Batman ($9.94 million) and The Joker ($9.9).
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