RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s first home-grown cinema chain is to open four new multiplexes in the Kingdom before the end of this year.

Muvi Cinemas has signed a partnership deal with Arabian Centers which will see a network of film theaters established in malls in cities throughout the country.

The first will be at the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah where a 15-screen complex is expected to open to the public in the coming weeks.

It will be followed by cinemas at Nakheel Mall in Dammam, the Mall of Dhahran, Al-Hamra Mall in Riyadh and the new U-Walk boulevard mall complex due for the capital later this year.

Saudi lifestyle destinations operator Arabian Centers and its new partner Muvi Cinemas will continue to expand in 2020 with the launch of an additional 10 malls, bringing the movie experience to eight Saudi cities over the next 24 months through 250 screen choices including ScreenX, Junior, Suites and bespoke Xperience.

Arabian Centers’ CEO Olivier Nougarou, said: “As a local company with a deep understanding of the Saudi consumer, we are delighted to have a cinema chain partner who is also born out of the Kingdom and is equally committed to provide a bespoke and uniquely homegrown entertainment experience.

“We are shortly opening Muvi Cinemas’ first cineplex at our flagship Jeddah mall – the Mall of Arabia – and following it with openings in the capital and Eastern Province as we continue to enable and enhance our lifestyle experience across the Kingdom.”

The film theater partnership with Muvi Cinemas is aligned with the Saudi government’s quality of life program within the Vision 2030 reform plan, that is committed to the introduction of cinemas across the nation as part of a comprehensive range of entertainment, arts and cultural facilities.