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US
SAUDI ARABIA
TOP 10 SINAUDDUISTFIRLYM
FILMS
AT BOX OFFICE FINDS ITS STRIDE
IN 2021
1 Waafet Reggaala,
Empire, $15.08 million
2 Spider-Man: No Way Home,
Sony, $11.2 million
3 Cruella,
Disney, $9.1 million
4 Wrath of Man,
Eagle Films, $8.3 million
5 Mesh Ana, WITH FABULOUS FILMING LOCATIONS LIKE NEOM AND ALULA IN THE
N Stars, $8.2 million DESERT, THE NEWLY LAUNCHED RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL,
A BOX OFFICE THAT IS GROWING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH — IT
6 No Time to Die, HAS NOW OVERTAKEN ITALY’S TO BECOME ONE OF THE TOP SIX
Phars, $8 million MARKETS IN THE EMEA REGION — AND THE SAUDI ARABIAN FILM
INDUSTRY IS PROVING TO BE A COMPETITIVE ONE
7 Fast & Furious 9,
Universal, $7.8 million
8 Venom: Let There Be Carnage,
Sony, $6.7 million
9 A Quiet Place 2, By Liza Foreman
Paramount, $6.1 million
10 Mama Hamel, OVERSEAS know-how moving into the estimate for 2022 at this stage would suggest a box office
Empire, $5.9 million kingdom to support a flourishing local this year (as current exchange rates) of at least $290m, and
industry, has helped draw an increasing more likely significantly higher, perhaps $315-395m.”
number of projects to film locally, Leading the charge for change in Saudi Arabia is the Saudi
including Kandahar, the first big-budget Film Commission (SFC), a government body affiliated
US feature to fully shoot in the desert location of AlUla. with the Ministry of Culture, which was established in
Meanwhile, local crew is being trained up with the cinema February 2020 and is based in the capital, Riyadh.
sector employing 4,439 Saudi young men and women in Abdullah Al Eyyaf Al-Qahtani, CEO of the Film
an effort to increase the size of the media market. In terms Commission, said: “The Commission aims to position
of box office, KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) grossed Saudi Arabia as a global destination for the film industry,
around $238m in 2021, representing an increase of nearly along with developing home-grown talent, creating
95% on 2020’s $122.5m. This put the market ahead of competitive services and incentives, boosting Saudi
Italy ($196m) and behind Spain ($296m). According to production, attracting international shoots, creating a
a recent study by Gower Street Analytics, a “conservative strong regulatory framework and promoting Saudi films
8 NEWS
SAUDI ARABIA
TOP 10 SINAUDDUISTFIRLYM
FILMS
AT BOX OFFICE FINDS ITS STRIDE
IN 2021
1 Waafet Reggaala,
Empire, $15.08 million
2 Spider-Man: No Way Home,
Sony, $11.2 million
3 Cruella,
Disney, $9.1 million
4 Wrath of Man,
Eagle Films, $8.3 million
5 Mesh Ana, WITH FABULOUS FILMING LOCATIONS LIKE NEOM AND ALULA IN THE
N Stars, $8.2 million DESERT, THE NEWLY LAUNCHED RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL,
A BOX OFFICE THAT IS GROWING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH — IT
6 No Time to Die, HAS NOW OVERTAKEN ITALY’S TO BECOME ONE OF THE TOP SIX
Phars, $8 million MARKETS IN THE EMEA REGION — AND THE SAUDI ARABIAN FILM
INDUSTRY IS PROVING TO BE A COMPETITIVE ONE
7 Fast & Furious 9,
Universal, $7.8 million
8 Venom: Let There Be Carnage,
Sony, $6.7 million
9 A Quiet Place 2, By Liza Foreman
Paramount, $6.1 million
10 Mama Hamel, OVERSEAS know-how moving into the estimate for 2022 at this stage would suggest a box office
Empire, $5.9 million kingdom to support a flourishing local this year (as current exchange rates) of at least $290m, and
industry, has helped draw an increasing more likely significantly higher, perhaps $315-395m.”
number of projects to film locally, Leading the charge for change in Saudi Arabia is the Saudi
including Kandahar, the first big-budget Film Commission (SFC), a government body affiliated
US feature to fully shoot in the desert location of AlUla. with the Ministry of Culture, which was established in
Meanwhile, local crew is being trained up with the cinema February 2020 and is based in the capital, Riyadh.
sector employing 4,439 Saudi young men and women in Abdullah Al Eyyaf Al-Qahtani, CEO of the Film
an effort to increase the size of the media market. In terms Commission, said: “The Commission aims to position
of box office, KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) grossed Saudi Arabia as a global destination for the film industry,
around $238m in 2021, representing an increase of nearly along with developing home-grown talent, creating
95% on 2020’s $122.5m. This put the market ahead of competitive services and incentives, boosting Saudi
Italy ($196m) and behind Spain ($296m). According to production, attracting international shoots, creating a
a recent study by Gower Street Analytics, a “conservative strong regulatory framework and promoting Saudi films
8 NEWS
