One Of The World’s Leading Cinema Operators Is Super Keen To Open Cinemas In Saudi

Attending the Future Investment Initiative conference held in Riyadh late last month was also the founder of Vue International, Tim Richards.

Vue International currently operates 212 sites in 10 countries.

Speaking to Deadline Hollywood, Richard says “They have some incredible plans in place and we would very much like to be a part of that going forward.” He also states that his company is continually exploring new attractive high-growth markets and says this looks like a very interesting opportunity.

Richards adds, “I was really inspired by what I saw and heard. It felt like history in the making… All anybody wanted to talk about was when are the movies coming in.”

There has been some momentum surrounding the opening of cinemas in the past few years. 

Ahmed al-Khatib, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chief, previously told Reuters that he wanted to create entertainment that “will be like 99% of what is going on in London and New York.”

Local filmmaking community has also not lacked behind with Haifaa al Mansour’s Wadjda becoming the country’s sirst ever submission to the Oscars. And last year, another Saudi film Barakah Meets Barakah was also entered as the Saudi candidate after a successful showing in international film festivals.