As a seasoned movie enthusiast with over two decades of global cinema exploration under my belt, I must say that the rapid growth and resilience of Saudi Arabia‘s film industry is nothing short of astonishing. Having witnessed the transformation of various cinematic landscapes, from the emergence of local content in once-stagnant markets to the dominance of blockbusters in established ones, I can confidently say that the kingdom has made a remarkable leap forward in just a few short years.
Six years since Saudi Arabia ended its 35-year ban on cinemas, it has been leading the way in the MENA (Middle East-North Africa) region as the top movie market. Moviegoers are increasingly drawn to theaters by both popular Hollywood films and a rising number of locally produced successes.
Regardless of a minor decrease in cinema attendance figures so far this year, Comscore experts are confident that the Saudi market continues to be robust and vibrant, offering significant potential for expansion.
Before the second installment of the Saudi Film Confex conference in Riyadh, which aims to strengthen the local film industry, EbMaster recently discussed with Comscore about some recent statistics. These numbers indicate a decrease of 5% in cinema attendances (13,663,012 in 2024 compared to 14,455,179 in 2023), along with a significant drop of 13% in total box office earnings ($174,431,499 in 2024 versus $245,486,760 in 2023). This fall in box office revenue is attributed to the government’s decision to reduce ticket prices.
Compared to other regions, it appears that markets such as the U.S. and the U.K. have experienced steeper declines in 2024 so far, with the U.S. cinema ticket sales dropping approximately 15%, the U.K. seeing a drop of 16% earlier this year, and Germany experiencing a decline of 17%.
According to Comscore analyst Nena Loncar, the Saudi box office has experienced a decline this year, but this is consistent with global trends, as she pointed out that elsewhere, the decrease in cinema attendance has been significantly more pronounced.
Last year, Saudi Arabia reduced the average movie ticket price, following instructions from their film commission. This move impacted box office earnings compared to the number of tickets sold, according to Loncar. Interestingly, despite this, admissions in the kingdom have only decreased by 5%. Considering global trends, that’s actually quite favorable,” Loncar added.
As a cinema aficionado, I’ve noticed that the attendance rate in Saudi cinemas is significantly lower than in major Western territories. However, what truly propels Saudi moviegoers is the triumph of locally produced content.
“Nathan Gilligan, a senior operations manager at Comscore, emphasized that one of Saudi Arabia’s key advantages lies in its local content. He noted that locally produced items enjoy significant popularity not only in urban areas but also in the rural provinces.
Loncar observed that over the past two years, Saudi Arabia has significantly increased its investment in homegrown content. This year alone, they’ve released 19 locally produced films, representing 8% of their total box office revenue for the entire year. Compared to last year, where only 13 local titles were released and also accounted for 8%, it is important to note that this percentage is based on the whole year, so we can expect it to grow even more this year. In contrast, local films in 2022 held just a 1% share of the overall market.
An illustration of a Saudi film thriving at the domestic box office is “Mandoob,” a story revolving around a hard-up individual transforming into an alcohol smuggler. This movie, launched in December 2023 after its world debut at the Toronto Film Festival and a favorable reception at the Red Sea Film Festival, outperformed significant U.S. releases such as “Wonka” during its opening weekend and maintained its success throughout the subsequent months, gathering over $2.5 million in 2024, resulting in a total gross of more than $7 million.
Unlike many other markets that have thrived on popular American franchises such as Marvel films like “Deadpool” and “Wolverine,” or “Venom: The Last Dance,” audiences in Saudi Arabia don’t seem to be as connected to these long-running series. According to Gilligan, while studio titles have generally sustained other markets, their appeal doesn’t always resonate the same way in Saudi Arabia.
In the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, Saudi Arabia continues to hold the top position in box office revenue. This leading role was established after movie theaters were allowed to open in 2018, marking the end of a long-standing religious prohibition that had been in place for decades.
Additionally, both locally produced content and major U.S. productions, as well as Egyptian films, have a history of exceeding expectations in the Saudi market. For instance, this year’s blockbuster “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” starring Will Smith, managed to unseat “Top Gun: Maverick” from its position atop the kingdom’s box office for the past six years.
In Saudi Arabia, the action film “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” drew an impressive 1.7 million theater visits upon its July 25 release, surpassing the 1.2 million admissions of “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022. Action movies have proven popular in this region, as they effortlessly adapt across cultures and cater to a broad audience that includes families, making cinema-going a favored family activity.
Loncar remarked that Saudi Arabia accounts for about one-eighth of the total market share for ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die.’ The U.S. took first place, with Saudi coming in second. Loncar found this impressive,” said Gilligan, further noting that action movies are popular because they deliver exactly what’s promised on their labels.
Conversations around the effect of streamers in terms of theatrical attendance, which heavily permeate Western markets, are not as urgent in Saudi as the debate surrounding censorship. “The threshold for Saudi audiences is increasing in terms of content they can see and the content they want to see,” said Gilligan.
In the Middle East, people are accustomed to seeing extreme situations, so it takes a lot to shock them,” Gilligan observed. “On the other hand, anything that might be considered romantic is often restricted or prohibited, such as Disney films being edited or forbidden due to public displays of affection. In 2022, the movie ‘Lightyear’ by Disney was banned in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Malaysia because it contained a same-sex kiss.
Straying from typical, traditional marriages is generally frowned upon, yet explosions and horror movies are acceptable. This seems to align with current productions. It’s unlikely that a romantic comedy challenging the conservative notion of family structure in Saudi Arabia will ever be made.
Despite facing difficulties in establishing regular movie-going habits in the rural areas of the country, Saudi continues to be a thriving market. The current leaders in the film industry have the benefit of a five-year perspective when making crucial decisions about cinema exhibitions in this region, based on past experiences.
In Gilligan’s words, the industry currently possesses sufficient data for analysis and valuable experience to guide decisions on where to establish a future 10-screen cinema. Simultaneously, they are endeavoring to foster a local sector encompassing production, distribution, and exhibition of homegrown films. This is an intriguing phase in Saudi Arabia as they work towards developing their own film industry.
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2024-10-07 18:50