August 15, 2025
Saudi Box Office Summer 2025 admissions rose 29.94% to 6.3 million between May and early August, with strong performances from regional and international titles driving market growth.
Saudi Box Office 2025 delivered a strong summer performance, with cinema admissions rising 29.94% month-over-month to reach 6.3 million between May and early August 2025. Admissions grew from 1.43 million in May to 2.38 million in July, indicating sustained audience engagement across the Kingdom’s exhibition sector, according to Motivate Val Morgan’s CineMeasure data.
With the region surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 5% during the summer period, this performance aligns with the broader EMEA market recovery. Saudi Arabia’s growth reflects the Middle East’s emergence as a key driver of EMEA’s outperformance, supported by strong audience demand for both international blockbusters and regional productions.
The summer’s regional content success began with the Egyptian production Restart in late May. The movie, which earned SAR 20.7 million over seven weeks, established momentum for Arabic content throughout the summer period.
Saudi production Al Zarfa delivered the season’s most notable performance when it secured the top box office position for two consecutive weeks after its release, despite competing directly with DC’s Superman launch in its second week. The local film opened on July 3 with SAR 9 million at the box office and has generated SAR 28 million across six weeks and counting.
July brought additional regional releases that demonstrated the market’s expanded capacity. Ahmed w Ahmed (July 17) earned SAR 3.5 million in its opening week and generated SAR 10.2 million over four weeks.
The month’s final week saw dual Egyptian and Saudi launches maintain sustained demand for regional content. Al Shater accelerated from SAR 4 million in week one to SAR 5.3 million in week two, while Saudi production Siwar built audience through word-of-mouth, growing from SAR 600,000 on its debut to SAR 3.6 million in its second week.
International releases also continued to deliver strong box office results across multiple demographics. Racing drama F1 topped the summer leaderboard with SAR 35.9 million across seven weeks, demonstrating that theatrical exhibition remains the primary revenue driver for content regardless of streaming platform origins.
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch generated SAR 34.9 million while maintaining a top 10 position for nine weeks. Mission: Impossible earned SAR 21.2 million over five weeks, while Dangerous Animals accumulated SAR 19.2 million across eight weeks. DC’s Superman generated SAR 10.6 million in four weeks, and Marvel’s Fantastic Four has reached SAR 8.3 million over three weeks.
Motivate Val Morgan’s CineMeasure platform reports that luxury and experience screens—premium large format venues—accounted for over 20% of total box office admissions during the summer period, delivering access to high-net-worth audiences in immersive environments.
The 45.5% increase from May to June admissions demonstrates the market’s capacity for both international tentpoles and regional storytelling. Premium format performance indicates strong engagement among affluent consumer segments during peak entertainment periods.
Summer 2025 data confirms Saudi Arabia’s position as a cinema market supporting both global entertainment and local storytelling. Regional productions maintained commercial viability alongside international releases throughout the three-month period.
The 30% monthly growth trajectory indicates market stability and sustained audience engagement. With Q4’s extensive blockbuster slate expected to maintain this momentum, performance data positions cinema advertising as a strategic opportunity for brands seeking to reach engaged, high-value audiences during peak entertainment periods.
Sources: Saudi Ministry of Culture, CinePlan and CineMeasure
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