The recent release of the fashion spectacle – Cruella, on the BIG screen will be followed by a few other female-centric movie over Q3 and Q4 of 2021.
As history has witnessed, numerous female-centric films have performed well at box office and have been acknowledged and appreciated by audiences and critics alike:
Captain Marvel
Worldwide BO – Over $1.12M
UAE Admissions – Over 425k
Padmaavat (Hindi)
Worldwide BO – $741,630,951
UAE Admissions – Over 357K
Ocean’s 8
Worldwide BO – $741,630,951
UAE Admissions – Over 236k
Wonder Woman 1984
UAE BO – $3,171,866
This year’s Academy Awards also witnessed females bag awards across a range of categories – the Oscar for Best Director was won by Chloé Zhao for her movie Nomadland, Frances McDormand won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in Nomadland. and Yuh-Jung Youn took home the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Minari. Here are the female-centric movies that are a must-watch on the big screen over the rest of 2021:
A Quiet Place II
Real life couple and reel life iconic pairing of director-actress duo John Krasinski and Emily Blunt are back with the sequel to their 2018 thriller. In The Quiet Place II, the Abbott family face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path. Catch the eerie blockbuster in cinemas on 10 June 2021.
Black Widow
In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller, Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her life when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. This blockbuster resales on 9 July 2021.
Respect
Directed by Liesl Tommy, Respect is the biography of iconic singer, Aretha Franklin. Aretha sings in her father’s church choir as a child and grows up to become an international musical superstar and legend. Catch the highly anticipated musical delight in cinemas on 19 August 2021.
Other blockbusters starring a female(s) in a lead role include:
The Suicide Squad
The sequel to the 2016 Suicide Squad, is set to release across cinemas on 5 August 2021. The movie revolves around super-villains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a collection of cons at Belle Reve prison who join the super-secret Force X. Heavily armed, they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese where they must fight to live.
Eternals
The Marvel debut of award-winning Director Chloé Zhao witnesses the Eternals be a part of various historic changes throughout the centuries during their time at Earth, however they have never interfered….until now. The visual spectacle releases in cinemas on 4 November 2021.
Is your brand looking to target female audiences? Be part of the BIG Ticket female-centric event on the BIG Screen in 2021 and reach your ideal audience.
Contact us to make cinema an integral part of your media plan.
Sources: IMDB, Aviation Analysis, Whip Media and Zoella
VOX Cinemas 15-screen cinema at Wafi City in Dubai features a Samsung Onyx screen and signature concepts including KIDS, MAX, as well as a reimagined VIP experience.
Majid Al Futtaim – the leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, launched its first hybrid cinema and family entertainment centre at Wafi City in Dubai, UAE on 9 May 2021.
The state-of-the-art entertainment hub spans two floors and comprises VOX Cinemas – the Middle East’s most innovative and fastest growing exhibitor, integrated with Magic Planet – the regionally award-winning family entertainment centre.
The 15-screen cinema at VOX Cinemas Wafi City offers moviegoers an exceptional cinematic experience and boasts the first Samsung Onyx screen in the UAE. Backed by brilliant LED picture quality and an infinite contrast ratio, Samsung Onyx delivers a powerful, captivating and memorable experience through HDR (High Dynamic Range) graphics and clear sounds. The cinema also features cutting-edge audio-visual technology and a variety of VOX signature concepts including KIDS, MAX, as well as a reimagined VIP experience with luxury seating and in-seat dining.
Families and fun seekers of all ages can also enjoy a wide variety of the latest video games, amusement rides, attractions and redemption games at Magic Planet, which features Bumper Cars, Drop ‘N Twist and Highway 66 – the ultimate mini-bowling experience.
The all-encompassing entertainment destination also features an array of F&B outlets to complement the experience including new concepts Candy Corner, where guests can indulge in a wide variety of sweet treats, and The Spotlight at Wafi City, which serves gourmet cuisine directly to guests’ seats. The décor in the thoughtfully appointed new culinary offering is imaginative and intriguing and truly immerses discerning film fans in a unique atmosphere that redefines luxury and the cinematic experience.
Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas and Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment said, “We’re proud to collaborate with Wafi Group, which shares our vision for creating remarkable destinations and passion for excellence, to open our first hybrid cinema and family entertainment centre in the United Arab Emirates. Today’s customers are looking for more engaging and immersive ways to spend time with family and friends and, at Majid Al Futtaim, we are committed to staying ahead of the curve and finding innovative new ways to exceed evolving
expectations. VOX Cinemas and Magic Planet at Wafi City have been designed as a holistic concept seamlessly integrating two recreational functions into one enriched experience and we’re very excited to welcome new guests and create great moments together.”
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mana bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Deputy Chairman of Wafi Group added, “Majid Al Futtaim is synonymous with customer-focused and innovative experiences and, we are excited to partner with them to launch this world-class entertainment destination, which offers an exciting selection of immersive attractions for the whole family to enjoy. VOX Cinemas Wafi City takes the cinematic experience to the next level with a unique offering that goes beyond customers’ expectations and features the ultimate VIP experience.”
VOX Cinemas presently operates 22 cinemas and 267 screens across the UAE. In March 2021, the cinema exhibitor opened at City Centre Al Zahia in Sharjah, with the launch marking the fifth cinema opening across the region in the wake of COVID-19. Later this month, VOX Cinemas is set to launch three multiplexes across Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as part of its ambitious expansion plans across the region.
We at Motivate Val Morgan congratulate VOX Cinemas on the opening of the new the 15-screen cinema at Wafi City, and warmly welcome this location to our cinema circuit in the UAE.
Contact us to advertise your brand on the screens at Wafi City in Dubai, UAE.
Sources: Vox Cinemas Press Release
Here are the commercials that dominated the big screen over Eid al-Fitr 2021!
Due to cinemas being closed across the Middle East and the rest of the world over the first half of 2020, brands missed out on the opportunity to advertise on the BIG screen last Eid. This Eid al-Fitr however witnessed not only the release of Indian MEGA blockbuster Radhe, but also Kuwait and Bahrain – two countries that remained closed for 15 months, re-opening its doors to patrons.
Here are the commercials booked through Motivate Val Morgan, that lit up the BIG screen over Eid al-Fitr 2021:
Barakat
Ad Duration: 72 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 27th May 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – City Centre Ajman, City Centre Al Zahia, City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates, Al Jimi Mall, Al Maryah Island, Yas Mall. Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall. Cinema City – Zero 6 mall.
Toshiba Kioxia
Ad Duration: 30 sec. (each)
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 10th June 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates and Cineplex Grand Hyatt
Al Hokail Medical Group
Ad Duration: 20 sec. (each)
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 22nd July 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: Muvi Cinemas – Mall of Dharan
DUR Hospitality (Holiday Inn)
Ad Duration: 15 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 17th June 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: Muvi Cinemas – Mall of Dharan, Nakheel Mall, Jubail Mall. VOX Cinemas – West Avenue Mall.
Boubyan Bank
Ad Duration: 41 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 3rd June 2021
Country: Kuwait
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – The Avenues
Al Rawabi Private School
Ad Duration: 70 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 8th July 2021
Country: Bahrain
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – The Avenues
Make cinema an integral part of your media plan! Contact us to advertise alongside an exciting line-up of upcoming blockbusters.
AMC Cinemas Dawadmi 3 at Al Makan Mall is the first cinema in the city of Al Dawadmi in KSA, featuring 3 screens – two regular screens and one PRIME at AMC screen, and AMC Cinema Souq – a reimagined and fully customizable food and beverage concept.
AMC Cinemas opened its eighth location – Dawadmi 3, at Al Makan Mall in Al Dawadmi, Saudi Arabia on 20 April 2021.
The 3-screen cinema with a total of 320 seats, featuring a PRIME at AMC screen, is the first cinema to open in the city of Al Dawadmi, and is located in the central region of Saudi Arabia (200KM west of Riyadh) with a population of 53,000.
Greeting guests on arrival at the cinema is AMC Cinema Souq, a reimagined and fully customizable food & beverage concept offering restaurant quality hot foods, one-of-a-kind deserts, and creative handcrafted beverages.
Al Makan Mall is the only shopping mall in Al Dawadmi, attracting consumers from nearby cities such as ‘Sager city’, thus considered the main shopping destination in and around the area.
Together with the two new locations Dawadmi 3 and Star Avenue – which opened on 12 April 2021, AMC Cinemas presently operates 57 screens across 9 locations in 5 cities of Saudi Arabia, with a goal in line with the government’s plan to diversify entertainment content as well as provide new experiences to a range of audiences in several cities across the Kingdom.
*More information on Star Avenue to follow in the coming weeks.
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates AMC Cinemas on the opening of Dawadmi 3, and warmly welcomes this location to our cinema circuit in Saudi Arabia.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities across AMC locations.
Source: AMC Cinemas and Swicorp Wabel Reit
Hollywood’s biggest night, the 93rd annual Academy Awards, also popularly known as the Oscars, took place on April 25 2021, at Union Station, Los Angeles.
The awards ceremony made history when the shortlist was announced owing to the diverse list of talent nominated this year. From glitz and glamour on the red carpet, to a diverse list of nominees, the 93rd Academy Awards (Oscars 2021), preserved the scale of the event while maintaining social distancing as well as following all safety measures. The Oscars also paid a tribute to fallen heroes of the industry – Chadwick Boseman, Christopher Plummer and Sean Conner to name a few.
Nomadland won best picture as well as well as bagged Chloé Zhao the award for the best director, making her the first Asian and second female director to win in the category. The film also seized awards for best actress.
Seasoned actor Anthony Hopkins won the best actor award for his work as the aging father in The Father, his second Oscar win post the one in 1994 for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, while Frances McDormand won best actress for her performance in Nomadland. Meanwhile, Daniel Kaluuya and Yuh-Jung Youn picked up supporting actor and actress honors for their performance in Judas and the Black Messiah and Minari respectively.
Here’s the full list of all the winners:
Actor in a leading role: Anthony Hopkins in The Father
Actor in a supporting role: Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and The Black Messiah
Actress in a leading role: Frances Mcdormand in Nomadland
Actress in a supporting role: Yuh-Jung Youn in Minari
Animated feature film: Soul
Cinematography: Mank
Best Director: Chloé Zhao for Nomadland
Music (original score): Soul
Music (Original song): Fight For You
Best Picture: Nomadland
Visual Effects: Tenet
Documentary (feature): My Octopus Teacher
Documentary (short subject): Colette
International Feature Film: Another Round
Short Film (Animated): If Anything Happens I Love You
Short Film (Live action): Two Distant Strangers
One of the highlights of the award ceremony was the stellar acceptance speech delivered by Frances McDormand upon winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in Nomadland. She says that she is at a loss for words upon receiving the award and further continues to compare her work to a sword – one that pierces through to the audience. As we witness audiences returning to the cinema and an extensive line-up of movies scheduled for a theatrical release, one may conclude that cinema is back with a bang!
Source: Oscars
UAE Jury for Cannes Lions 2021 include Paul Shearer, Jennifer Fischer, Dida Atassi and seven other highly respected and award winning advertising and media personalities.
As the official representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan are pleased to announce that ten leading advertising and media professionals from the UAE have been selected as jury members for the 2021 Festival.
UAE jury members who will be on the Awarding and Shortlisting jury panel include:
Industry Craft Lions
Paul Shearer | Chief Creative Officer | Impact BBDO Dubai
Paul has always believed in bringing something different to the table.
His work for Guess Jeans, Nike, Audi and Levi’s has won him respect and numerous advertising awards.
During his time at BBH, Paul had the opportunity to work collaboratively with clients, which contributed to his work being impactful and successful in the marketplace. Paul then decided to broaden his horizons globally and took a job at Wieden and Kenedy Amsterdam as the Creative Director. It was here that he had the chance to work on the Nike account.
Paul prides himself on understanding the digital world and has won 54 Cannes Lions (the most recent being a Grand Prix). When it comes to awards, Paul believes that winning a client some new customers is far more satisfying. Other awards won include 8 D&AD pencils, 15 One Show and 9 British Television awards.
Innovation Lions
Jennifer Fischer | Chief Innovation Officer | TBWA\RAAD
Always dissatisfied with the status quo, Jennifer spent years shaping the future of some of the most valuable brands in the world such as Coca-Cola, Apple, Ikea, KFC, Expo 2020, Facebook or Nissan.
Her role as Chief Innovation Officer MENA for TBWA\RAAD is to lead an always in beta transformation – harnessing the power of technology, strategy, collaboration, and creativity to re-imagine the way companies work, innovate and grow.
Her career milestones include many firsts from launching the first opera house in the region to communicating the first space mission from an Arabic nation or working on the first Apple campaign in MENA.
Her ideas have been published and shared by Forbes, Campaign Magazine, Communicate, Marketing Society, Arab Ad, Arabian Business among others.
Design Lions
Dida Atassi | Design Director | Accenture Interactive Middle East
An accomplished digital professional, Dida has spent 18 years developing compelling world-class experiences for global and local brands across telecommunication, banking, retail, lifestyle and government sectors. From ideation workshops to polished design deliverables, Dida places a particular focus on crafting unique, loveable products and services that resonate with local cultures. As an advocate of the user, Dida tries to help people see how digital can make life a little easier by designing simple and rewarding experiences.
Dida’s skills include user experience design, interface design, service design, and digital strategy using tools such as prototyping, user research and design thinking workshops and methodology. She has a particular interest in studying local cultures and norms and how they impact design.
Media Lions
Asad Rehman | Director Media and Digital Transformation | Unilever MENA
Asad manages Unilever’s Media & Digital Marketing Transformation for Middle & East North Africa. He also sits at the Unilever MENA/Turkey/Russia Board. He has been in Dubai since 2013, prior to which he spent 6 years at the Unilever HQ in London. Earlier on in his career, Asad worked for WPP/Group M in various parts of the world. He managed local offices in Pakistan and Vietnam, did a global role in London, and managed regional projects in Asia and LATAM.
Asad is an award-winning marketer with accolades from D&AD, Cannes Lions, WARC, Global Effie’s, and Spikes, Lynx, Festival of Media, and MENA Effie’s, and is passionate about bringing together technology, data, and creativity to help craft purposeful brands.
Asad was the Founding Chair of The Marketing Society Middle East Chapter from 2016 to 2018 and sits on the board of the IAA UAE. He was awarded The Marketing Society Fellowship in 2019 and was also the Effie’s Marketer of The Year in 2018.
PR Lions
Amy Brill | Head of PR | M&C Saatchi
As M&C Saatchi Public Relations’ market lead for the UAE, Amy is responsible for the overall direction of the team, creative work and business growth. An experienced PR professional, she has worked for some of the world’s most recognisable brands across corporate and consumer sectors.
Amy has a BA Hons degree in Public Relations from Bournemouth University in the UK and started her career at BBC Worldwide before embarking on agency life, working for clients such as Rolls-Royce, Discovery, Hilton, Disney, PayPal and the British Embassy in both the UK and Middle East.
She established the M&C Saatchi Public Relations business in the UAE in 2017, aged just 27 and has been recognised by industry leaders as a Rising Star and Face to Watch. In the two years the agency has been running, Amy and her team have picked up gold and silver accolades at both the PRCA and MEPRA Awards.
Brand Experience and Activation Lions
Vidya Manmohan | Founder and Creative Chairwoman | V4 Advertising LLC
Vidya Manmohan is the Founder & Creative Chairwoman of V4 Good and Ex-Executive Creative Director of GREY Dubai.
She also happens to be one among the rare breed of female Executive Creative Directors in the region today, celebrated for having travelled off the beaten track, across the span of her career – from walking out of the gates of medical school to pursue a career in Advertising and switching from Art direction to copywriting mid-way through her successful career.
What’s more, this mom of a University student has gone back to University herself to pursue her Master’s in Digital Management, whilst having successfully launched a new-age communication hub.
Her work reflects the pop culture around her and has bagged International awards, not only in the print and outdoor categories, but also in radio, design, digital, integrated and advertising for good.
Vidya has also been on the jury panel of International Advertising Festivals such as Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, Clio, Adfest, Lisbon Advertising Awards, The White Square and the Young Guns to name a few.
Film Lions
Serena Abi Aad | Head of Content | Havas Dubai
Serena is an award winning film director whose short films have travelled international festivals across the Middle East, Europe and Canada.
As a passionate storyteller, her professional journey has been diverse and always centered around storytelling.
She spent most of her twenties on film sets, learning every job in a film crew. She then decided to understand the ad world better and became a TV producer at Leo Burnett, where she worked on films for DSF, Chevrolet and Hummer, among others.
Following her time at Leo Burnett, she worked with MBC as writer, producer and director of a first of its kind reality TV show. In 2012, she joined Yahoo as branded content manager and supervised multiple video content productions for brands such as P&G and DSF.
She had her own content production house for a couple of years, before joining Havas DXB as Head of Content.
She is currently Creative Director at Havas DXB, telling stories for clients such as FAB, Barakat, Veet and Durex.
Social & Influencer Lions
Akanksha Goel | Founder & CEO | Socialize
A digital marketing pioneer, Akanksha Goel is the founder of Socialize; Middle East’s first dedicated social media agency.
Akanksha started her career at the age of 20, as the youngest ever Editor-in-chief for STUFF Magazine. She gained experience working across India & Singapore, where she was at the forefront of the Web2.0 revolution and helped organise Asia’s first-ever pod-camp. She then moved to Dubai amidst the region’s economic crisis, and in 2010 created Socialize to harness the untapped business potential of then-emerging social networks.
In her current role as Managing Director, she is actively involved in driving business growth, leading team development and overseeing the strategic mandate across the agency’s coveted client roster that includes iconic brands like Dubai EXPO 2020, Volkswagen, Sony, General Mills & Bioderma.
An executive graduate from Harvard Business School; she holds a business degree in Marketing Communications from Singapore Management University. Nominated as Emirates Woman of the Year and named to Holmes Report’s Innovator 25 list in 2018, Akanksha is widely recognized as a business influencer, speaker, and a reference for social media in the Middle East.
Direct Lions
Alex Pineda | Creative Director | TBWA\RAAD
Alex Pineda was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and English and Spanish speaker and Crazy about football. He is also a museum hunter, napkin illustrator and comic book artist who has travelled to 5 continents, 77 countries, hundreds of cities, and explored many cultures.
He holds a Master’s degree in ‘Creativity and Strategic Management of Advertising’ from the European Institute of Design in Barcelona, Spain; Specialist in ‘Advertising Management’ from the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University of Bogotá, Colombia; and graduated as a ‘Professional in Graphic Design’ from the same university.
Alex has been awarded at Cannes Lions, Cannes Young Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Dubai Lynx, LIA London International Awards, New York Festivals, Loeries, Webby Awards, Effies, Epica, Cresta, Ojo De Iberoamérica, Festival El Dorado and ‘Lápiz de Acero’ (National Design Award of Colombia).
He was also elected as ‘Associate Creative Director of the Year’ for the Middle East and North Africa, by the ‘Black & White Report’ in 2018; the Number 1 Creative Copywriter in the UAE by ‘Lürzer’s Archive’ Magazine in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and one of the “Best Colombian expats around the world” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and the Embassy of Colombia in Abu Dhabi in 2020.
Outdoor Lions
Fabio Silveira | General Manager | Havas Dubai
Fabio has been in leadership positions on strategy and client services in creative agencies for the past 10 years.
His experience spans 15 years and 5 continents – with regional and global responsibilities in Brazil, Portugal and Dubai.
He’s currently responsible for the operations of Havas Creative in Dubai, encompassing Client Services, Strategy, Creative, Social Media, Content and Production.
Cannes Lions 2021 will mark the highest ever representation from global brands, platforms, entertainment and technology companies, bringing a breadth of expertise to the Lions awards.
Furthermore, for the first time ever, the number of female jurors too reaches 51%, up from 48% in 2019.
Cannes Lions 2021 will be fully digital, running as Cannes Lions Live, from 21-25 June. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the event in Cannes, France, will not take place this year. Further information on the Lions can be found at Cannes Lions Awards.
We at Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan warmly congratulate these ten highly respected and award winning advertising and media personalities from the UAE who will be part of the jury panel at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, and wish them all the very best with the judging ahead.
From leisure and entertainment, to healthcare and properties & real estate, here are the commercials presently
dominating the big screen across the Motivate Val Morgan cinema circuit.
With recent blockbusters such as Tom & Jerry, Raya and the Last Dragon and Godzilla vs. Kong performing successfully well at box office, and with more content across a variety of languages confirmed for theatrical release, there is no better time than now to advertise your brand in cinema.
Here are some brand commercials presently dominating the big screen:
American Hospital
Ad Duration: 60 sec.
Campaign Duration: 05th March 2021 to 14th July 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, The Pointe and VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates, Mercato and Nakheel Mall
Atlantis
Ad Duration: 30 sec.
Follow a Movie: Godzilla vs Kong
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – Mall of Emirates and Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall and The Pointe.
Mohammed Bin Rashid City
Ad Duration: 55 sec.
Campaign Duration: 23rd Jan 2021 to 21st April 2021 (Part of an Annual Campaign)
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: Multiple Reel and VOX locations
Al Hokail Medical Group
Ad Duration: 20 sec. (each)
Campaign Duration: 18th March to 26th May 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – West Avenue Mall and MUVI Cinemas – Nakheel Mall
Double Tree by Hilton Resort and Spa
Ad Duration: 30 sec.
Campaign Duration: 25th March 2021 to 07th April 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif, Mercato, Mall of the Emirates, Nation Towers, YAS Mall, The Galleria Al Maryah Island.
Cartier
Ad Duration: 30 sec.
Campaign Duration: 25th March 2021 to 07th April 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – Red Sea Mall, Riyadh Front, Riyadh Park and Kingdom Centre, and MUVI Cinemas – Mall of Arabia.
Etisalat
Ad Duration: 60 sec.
Campaign Duration: 25th March 2021 to 13th April 2021 (part of annual campaign)
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: Multiple VOX, Reel, Oscar, Cine Royal and Cinemacity locations.
Shine light on your brand by making cinema an integral part of your media plan! Contact a member of our sales team for more information on advertising opportunities.
Here’s an extensive line-up of movies releasing in cinema over summer in 2021!
With the global rollout of the vaccine, cinemas in parts of the US now open and UK set to open its doors to cinemagoers in May, multiple production houses have now confirmed the theatrical release date for most movies postponed as a result of the pandemic, with cinema lovers now having lots to look forward to this summer.
Here’s a comprehensive list of movies set to hit the BIG screen this summer:
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
A sequel to the 2018 animation blockbuster, the second installment witnesses Peter Rabbit move to the big city upon finding the garden life redundant. However, not every sail must be smooth – he meets people from different walks of life in the big city and eventually ends up creating havoc for his family! Join Peter on this journey in a cinema near you on 13 May 2021.
Cruella
The live-action movie stars Emma Stone as a young Cruella de Vil – the famous villain from ‘101 Dalmatians’. The story revolves around Cruella’s years as a fashion designer in the 70s, when she becomes obsessed with dogs’ skin – especially Dalmatians. The movie is set to release on the BIG screen on 27 May 2021.
Fast & Furious 9
Make way for the 9th installment in the Fast Saga! The plot of the movie centres on Dominic Toretto and his crew having to join forces to battle the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered, who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother Jakob. Will Dom be able to save those he loves, or will he go down fighting? Find out on 25 June 2021.
The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It
Real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren are back with a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil. The third installment of the real-life inspired series revolves around the fight for the soul of a young boy, which leads to something that is unknown in U.S history – a murder suspect claiming demonic possession as a defense. The movie is set to releases in cinema on 3 June 2021.
A Quiet Place II
The sequel to the 2018 blockbuster follows the events at the home of the Abbott family, who now face the terrors of the outside world. Compelled to resort to the unknown, the Abbott’s realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threat lurking beyond the sand path. Venture into the unknown with them on 10 June 2021 at a cinema near you.
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
The world’s most lethal odd duo – bodyguard Michael Bryce and hitman Darius Kincaid, have taken on another life-threatening mission – to save Darius’s wife Sonia. The trio get caught amidst a global plot only to find that they are all that stand between Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman. Join the fun deadly mayhem on 17 June 2021.
Black Widow
In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller, Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her life when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. This action-packed blockbuster resales on 9 July 2021.
The Suicide Squad
The sequel to the 2016 Suicide Squad, is set to release across cinemas on 5 August 2021. The movie revolves around super-Villains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a collection of cons at Belle Reve prison who join the super-secret Force X. Heavily armed, they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese where they must fight to live.
Free Guy
After multiple reschedules, this blockbuster starring Ryan Reynolds is set to release on 12 August 2021. The movie’s plot is based on a bank teller named Guy, who realizes he is a character in a video game that is soon going offline! Will he win the race against time to save the game before the developers can shut it down? Find out this summer.
Candyman
A sequel to the 1992 horror film, Candyman makes a comeback to a reestablished neighborhood of Chicago where the legend began. A decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, Anthony and his partner move into a loft in the now gentrified Cabrini, unknowingly opening a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence. This spine-chilling thriller is set to release in cinema on 24 August 2021.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Once the booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City is now a dying Midwestern town. The company’s production plant has left the city as a barren wasteland with great evil brewing below the surface. A small group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind the crimes of Umbrella Corporation and make it through the night. Watch the eventful night unfold in a theatre near you on 2 September 2021.
The Boss Baby 2: Family Business
The Templeton brothers have become adults and drifted away from each other, but a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach is about to bring them together again – and inspire a new family business.
Other movies set to release over summer in 2021 include:
Troll: The Tale of Tail (May 2021), Spirit Untamed (June 2021), The Forever Purge (July 2021), Jungle Cruise (July 2021), Reminiscence (August 2021), Stillwater (August 2021), Shang-Chi: The Legend of the 10 Rings (September 2021), The Addams Family 2 (September 2021), Invasion (September 2021), The Many Saints of Newark (September 2021) and more.
From action-packed blockbusters, hair-raising thrillers and a heap of light entertainment, the big screen is set to be your go to destination this summer.
Contact us to display your brand alongside these upcoming blockbusters on the BIG screen!
Moemen Metwally and Fernando Montero from Memac Ogilvy Dubai win gold at the UAE Young Lions Digital Competition 2021.
The 18th edition of the esteemed UAE Young Lions Digital Competition, hosted by Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan – the official UAE representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, took place on Saturday 27th March 2021.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year’s competition took place online, with a total of 14 teams across 9 agencies participating. The Judging and Awards Ceremony followed online on Monday 29th March 2021, with Moemen Metwally and Fernando Montero from Memac Ogilvy Dubai winning Gold.
The winning duo will move on to represent the UAE at the International Young Lions Competition – in the digital category, which will also take place online in June 2021.
Warsha Jamnadas and Nour Itani from Publicis Middle East bagged Silver, while Tarryn Tucker and Luma Kudsiova from BPG Group Dubai, and Lina Maria Monroy and Alison Cordeiro Rodriguez from Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai tied for Bronze.
Other participating agencies at this year’s competition included: Leo Burnett Dubai, Socialize, And Us, Serviceplan Middle East and FP7 McCann.
The jury panel for this year’s competition comprised of: Munah Zahr (Leo Burnett), Fadi Yaish (And Us), Cristiano Tonnarelli (Memac Ogilvy), Komal Bedi Sohal (Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai), Fouad Malak and Oliver Robinson (F7P McCann), Rafael Augusto (Publicis Middle East), Akhilesh Bagri (Serviceplan Middle East), Anyce Nedir (Socialize), and Lousie Kotze and Justin Du Plessis (BPG Group Dubai)
This year’s client was du Telecommunications, who presented a brief pertaining to cybercrime in the UAE. Participating teams were asked to create a digital campaign with a powerful message and fitting hashtag, to emphasize the importance of the internet being utilized wisely and safely, with the necessary precautions in place.
Speaking at the Award ceremony on behalf of du Telecommunications, Dr. Mansoor Habib, Head of Sustainability & Wellbeing, said: “At du, our mission is to create a culture that addresses safe internet usage and related issues such as cyber bullying, digital addiction, and the wellbeing of everyone that uses our telecommunication services. We are very honored that we could introduce the theme of cyber safety at this year’s UAE Young Lions Digital Competition to brief all the participating agencies. The creative insight of the participants – all of which were very unique and powerful – helped us understand how much more innovative we can be with our communication on using the internet safely and responsibly.”
Ian Fairservice – Managing Partner, Motivate Media Group, said “Even though the format for the UAE Young Lions Competition had to be adjusted to an online version this year, we were still very impressed with the content produced. I want to congratulate everyone who entered, but especially Moemen Metwally and Fernando Montero from Memac Ogilvy who I’m sure will be great ambassadors for the UAE during this year’s Cannes Lions Festival.”
The UAE Young Lions Digital Competition 2021 was held in strategic partnership with Dubai Media City and was sponsored by Getty Images.
Congratulations to the winners and a job well done to all 14 teams who participated in this year’s competition.
One of the most anticipated blockbusters of this year – Godzilla vs. Kong, has been a huge hit in every market it opened, pulling in a record setting US$ 141.7 million overseas. The film opened in 38 different international markets, with China accounting for US$ 99 million over eight days – the country’s largest box-office debut in nearly two years.
With international audiences flocking to movie theaters once again, the U.S. box office too made its triumphant return with the blockbuster earning a thumping US$ 27.9 million in North America in just three days of its release (31 March 2021). In the UAE, the blockbuster garnered an astounding 138,000 admissions in its first four days, with a US$ 1.9 million weekend total – far more than any film has managed since the pandemic began. Saudi Arabia was right behind the UAE with 76,000 admissions for the feature.
The film has also been a hit with critics, currently sitting at 81 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes with 118 reviews counted.
The record COVID-era opening of Godzilla vs. Kong is especially encouraging since Netflix made headlines for paying nearly US$ 450 million to acquire the rights for two sequels to Knives Out. Key tests ahead for global cinema are A Quiet Place Part II (Paramount) and F9 (Universal) – set for international release on 28 May and 25 June respectively, both of which are initially theater exclusives.
Recent hits such as Tom & Jerry and Raya and the Last Dragon also opened in the 20,000 admissions range in the UAE. Open for seven weeks now in the, Tom & Jerry has totaled over 150,000 admissions – an impressive achievement for the animated/live action hybrid, while the Malayalam film The One also opened with 20,000 admissions, all of which indicate that business is back in a big way in the UAE.
Upcoming blockbuster releases across the Middle East include: Mortal Kombat (8 April), Free Guy (20 May), Cruella (27 May), Luca (17 June), F9 (24 June), Top Gun: Maverick (1 July), Black Widow (8 July), Jungle Cruise (29 July), The Suicide Squad (5 August), The Boss Baby: Family Business (16 September), Dune (30 September), Spider-Man: No Way Home (17 December) and The King’s Man (22 December).Advertisers, mark your return to the BIG SCREEN in a BIG WAY!
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities alongside the above mentioned blockbusters.
Sources: The Numbers, Esquire Middle East, Collider, Forbes and IMDb
