RIYADH: Film fans in the Saudi capital witnessed the opening of its second cinema on Monday night.
The opening saw yet another player entering Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing entertainment landscape. This time it is VOX Cinemas, which now rivals AMC Cinemas in the Kingdom.
VOX Cinema promises lower prices and a much more practical location, inside a beautifully constructed mall. The new shopping center, Riyadh Park, is surrounded by natural light during the day and has many shops that have yet to open. It is convenient for moviegoers. Ticket prices at the VOX cinema, which has Imax 3D, start at SR50 ($13.3). They will go on sale online or through the VOX app, starting in three days’ time.
The first four-screen multiplex in the Kingdom was opened under the patronage of Minister of Culture and Information Awwad Al-Awwad. Also in attendance was Reda Haidar, director general of the General Commission of Audiovisual Media.The movie screened was “Avengers: Infinity War.”
The cinema is located on the first floor of the mall and surrounded by restaurants and an entertainment center. Its four theaters can accommodate a large number of moviegoers and a variety of movies can be screened simultaneously.
VOX Cinemas is a subsidiary of Majid Al-Futtaim (MAF) and is the largest cinema operator in the MENA region.
Cinema returned to Saudi Arabia on April 18 with the first major movie screening in 35 years in a spectacular new theater in King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh. The gala screening of the Hollywood blockbuster “Black Panther” was attended by hundreds of invited guests in the sleek and chic complex — described by AMC cinema chain bosses as “the most beautiful movie theater in the world.”
Saudi Arabia plans to open 350 cinemas across the country by 2030, which will include 2,500 screens, which are expected to contribute around $25 billion to the economy.
