Saudi Arabia’s homegrown cinema brand – Muvi Cinemas, has launched the Kingdom’s first Drive-in cinema in the city of Riyadh.
The Drive-in cinema that opened on Thursday 21st January 2021, is the first of its kind in the country, and can accommodate up to 150 vehicles while maintaining social distancing measures.
Guests will be required to wear face masks and have their temperature checked in accordance with recommended measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, while food and drinks are allowed to be consumed inside cars.
In a statement to Arab News, Mahmoud Mirza, Marketing Director of Muvi Cinemas said: “MUVI Cinemas is strictly applying all the precautionary measures to ensure a safe environment for our employees and customers.” However, no decision has yet been made on how long the Drive-in cinema would remain open.
According to Mirza, the initial response from the public suggests that the Drive-in cinema concept will prove as popular in the Kingdom as it has in recent times in other parts of the Middle East, including Dubai and Beirut, as a way to allow cinemagoers to watch movies on the big screen while protecting themselves from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Mirza further stated that now is the ideal time to visit a Drive-in cinema in the Kingdom. “Drive-in cinemas require many aspects to succeed. One important factor is the weather, and with Riyadh’s weather nowadays, it is a perfect fit to complete an outstanding experience,” he explained, adding that Muvi Cinemas is considering opening similar temporary venues across the Kingdom.
“Having pop-up cinemas isn’t new to MUVI Cinemas, and we shall continue offering such experiences to expand our reach and create happy moments for our audience, be it inside our sites and theaters or outside.”
Mirza also revealed that Muvi Cinemas plans to open 15 new cinemas in Saudi Arabia in 2021, adding more than 150 screens to its current cinema circuit. “New sites will be added to those in current cities, and introduced to new cities, such as Taif, Buraidah and Onaizah,” he said.
As the official cinema advertising partner of Muvi Cinemas in Saudi Arabia, we at Motivate Val Morgan warmly congratulate the cinema exhibitor on the opening of the new Drive-in cinema.
Click here for more information of the first Drive-in cinema in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and for session times.
Sources: Muvi Cinemas, Arab News and Gulf News
AMC Karam 5 at Karam Mall – the first cinema in the Al Majmaah governorate, offers luxury auditoriums, best-in-class projection, sound and seating, and is the latest effort by AMC in an ongoing program to provide state-of-the-art cinemas across KSA.
AMC Cinemas, in yet another milestone to develop the moviegoing experience in Saudi Arabia, opened its seventh location in the Kingdom at Karam Mall in the Al Majmaah governorate on 31st December 2020. AMC Karam 5 is the first cinema in Al Majmaah, and will offer moviegoers the high standards they have come to expect and enjoy from AMC Cinemas.
The 5-screen cinema with a total of 751 seats, which includes a Prime at AMC screen, is another impressive step in the rapid evolution of the cinema experience in Saudi Arabia. Every auditorium is fully equipped with a massive screen, 4K Barco Laser Projector, immersive surround sound, with Luxe Recliner and Plush Rocker seating throughout.
Following the launch of AMC Karam 5, the cinema exhibitor seeks to reach the largest possible number of movie lovers around Saudi Arabia, a goal which is in line with the government’s plan to diversify entertainment content as well as providing new experiences to a range of audiences in several cities and governorates around the Kingdom.
Speaking on the occasion of the opening John Iozzi, CEO & Managing Director of AMC Cinemas said, “This is a big, positive step to cater to cinema audiences in the various governorates of Saudi. Our goal is to provide an innovative and creative cinematic experience for cinema lovers, by maintaining international standards as we continue to support the Kingdom’s 2030 vision, which focusses heavily on improving the entertainment sector. This is a vitally important part of the components of the Quality of Life program and motivates us to continue our efforts to build and provide innovative cinema that suits the tastes of all our customers around the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
AMC Cinemas presently operate 45 screens across 7 locations in 3 cities of Saudi Arabia – Riyadh, Hafar Al-Batin and Al Majmaah.
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates AMC Cinemas on the opening of AMC Karam 5, and warmly welcomes this location to our cinema circuit in KSA.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities across AMC locations.
Source: AMC Cinemas (Press Release)
VOX Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, launched a new multiplex at Town Square, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 29th November 2020.
The 12-screen cinema with a total of 1367 seats, boasts numerous firsts including the Kingdom’s first MX4D, the newest evolution in 4D cinema, and ICE (Immersive Cinema Experience), which provides a truly sensorial experience. It also features IMAX with Laser, VIP and KIDS screens. Guests can also indulge in their favourite cinema snacks from the Nutella and Candy Bar.
The inauguration was attended by His Highness Prince Bandar Bin Khalid F. Al Saud; Nasser Bin Huwaiden Al Ketbi, UAE Consul-General to Jeddah, the admired Saudi singer Abdulrab Idrees and Mohamed Al Hashemi, Country Head of Majid Al Futtaim Ventures Saudi Arabia.
The opening of the new multiplex marks VOX’s 11th cinema in Saudi Arabia and consolidates its ambitious expansion plans across the Kingdom as part of its commitment to Vision 2030.
With a total of 124 screens, across 11 cinemas, in 4 cities, VOX Cinemas is the largest exhibitor by screen count and the largest independent distributor in Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed Al Hashemi, Country Head at Majid Al Futtaim Ventures KSA, said, “We are proud to partner with Unified Real Estate Development to open VOX Cinemas Town Square, Jeddah which marks our third launch post lock-down and will create job opportunities for 200 people. At VOX Cinemas, we remain fundamentally confident about the future of the cinema industry and will continue with our ambitious growth strategy in support of the Quality of Life program. In the coming months, we will expand our footprint with openings in new cities including Hail and Jubail as part of our commitment to make our innovative and unrivalled leisure and entertainment experiences accessible to everyone, even in remote cities. Saudi Arabia can now proudly say that their cinemas are without question, the best in the world!”
He added, “In the context of emerging markets, no one is embracing cinema as keenly as audiences across the Kingdom and we believe that it will become a top 10 global market for cinema and generate $1 billion in box office revenue in the next three to five years. We believe Saudi Arabia is the only market in the world to have expanded in 2020, which is quite extraordinary given the current climate and highlights how critical it is to the industry’s future. We look forward to leveraging the growth opportunities that Saudi’s burgeoning entertainment sector presents by introducing more world-class integrated entertainment experiences and supporting the Kingdom’s evolution towards its 2030 Vision.”
We at Motivate Val Morgan congratulate VOX Cinemas on the opening of the new multiplex at Town Square in Jeddah, and warmly welcome this location to our cinema circuit in KSA.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities at Town Square, Jeddah, KSA.
Sources: VOX Cinemas, Eat’N Stays and albilad
AMC Cinemas opened its sixth cinema location at Azizia Plaza in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday 3rd December 2020.
Azizia Plaza features 3 screens with a total of 314 seats, and includes a Prime at AMC screen – presenting best-in-class projection, sound, seating, and exceptional food and beverages and five-star service.
Speaking at the opening CEO and Managing Director John Iozzi said: “AMC Azizia Plaza 3 is part of our continued expansion across Saudi Arabia and we are excited to bring our brand of first-class cinema experience to a new audience.”
AMC Azizia Plaza 3, he stated, was another impressive step in the rapid evolution of the cinema experience in Saudi Arabia.
“Every auditorium is fully equipped with a massive screen, 4K Barco Laser Projectors, immersive surround sound and Luxe Recliner and Plush Rocker seating throughout. Every seat also includes a table and USB charging port for ultimate comfort,” he explained.
“We are committed to supporting the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to improve the choice and quality of entertainment under the Quality of Life Program,” added John Iozzi.
With the opening of Azizia Plaza, AMC Cinemas presently operates 40 screens across 6 locations in 2 cities of Saudi Arabia.
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates AMC Cinemas on the opening of Azizia Plaza, and warmly welcomes this location to our regional cinema circuit.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities across AMC locations.
Sources: AMC Cinemas and Gulf Projects
While box office returns in 2020 will suffer an estimated 80% global drop due to COVID-19, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is bucking this downward trend, having grown since 2019 to become the Middle East’s top grossing territory this year to date.
Fresh figures released during the recent META Cinema Forum exhibitors’ conference in October reveals that the Kingdom has overtaken the United Arab Emirates this year, and is currently the region’s top-grossing territory, with more than $73 million in theatrical movie ticket sales over the past 40 weeks – a roughly $2 million increase in box office returns compared with the same period in 2019.
The UAE during the same 2020 period has generated roughly $51 million, roughly a quarter of its 2019 box office draw.
Commenting on the growth of the theatrical market in KSA, Cameron Mitchell, CEO of VOX Cinemas says: “We believe that Saudi Arabia is the only cinema market globally to have expanded in 2020.”
Mitchell sees the Saudi market as having increased by roughly 4% year to date – despite the fact that, due to the pandemic, cinemas where closed between March and the middle of June – and is forecasting an 8% growth by year’s end.
The theatrical market in the Middle East in 2019 was worth $600 million, of which Saudi accounted for a $110 million share and the UAE roughly $250 million – which excludes releases of Indian and Arabic films and some indie content. “This year our numbers are telling us that the UAE is going to be worth about $60 million, and Saudi is going to be worth $120 million,” says Mitchell.
In terms of the bigger picture, Mitchell believes that Hollywood will value the Middle East at about $220 million in 2020 out of which KSA will contribute to 50% of the same this year.
David Hancock, an analyst at London-based Omdia says, “The fact that Saudi has now overtaken the UAE, albeit in a weird year, is suddenly a milestone for the Saudi Arabian cinema market.” Hancock expects the country will be a billion-dollar market “in 3 to 5 years,” depending on recovery from COVID-19 which he estimates this year will cause an 80% global box office drop, with losses totaling up to $30 billion. He also mentioned that KSA is on track to become the dominant market in the region “and one of the top 10 or 15 markets in the world.”
An interesting aspect of Saudi Arabia’s current box office upswing is that grosses in the country are currently generated from a mere 260 screens – less than half the 614 screens operating in the UAE. Average occupancy levels in cinemas across the Middle East have not gone beyond 20%, and Saudi is no exception. However, in terms of generating box office, KSA has the cushy advantage boasting of an average ticket priced at $17.60, which is the highest in the region followed by UAE figure which is $12.80, and Kuwait, the region’s third market, priced at $11.90.
Since cinemas re-opened in June, the biggest releases across the Middle East was Tenet, earning $1.1 and $1.5 Million in its opening weekend in UAE and KSA (figures from Box Office Mojo), followed by Mulan – which earned over $1.3 Million in its opening weekend in UAE. Unhinged starring Russel Crowe also performed handsomely in the region, though figures were not made readily available.
Meanwhile, screen growth in Saudi Arabia is going forward undeterred, with VOX presently operating 124 screens across 11 locations. Aside from VOX Cinemas, other cinema exhibitors operating in the Kingdom include Muvi Cinemas and AMC Cinemas who have 10 and 6 operational cinemas respectively, and are in the midst of massive expansion plans over the year ahead.
It’s also interesting to note that a number of new cinema locations opened across KSA, post the COVID-19 lockdown. VOX Cinemas opened three new locations – Sahara Mall, Tabuk Park and Al Jamea (Town Square), Muvi Cinemas massively expanded with the opening of six new locations – Jubail Mall, Al Ahsa Mall, Haifa Mall, Aziz Mall, Nakheel Mall (Riyadh) and Mall of Dhahran, and AMC Cinemas opened four new locations – Hafr Al Batin, Riyadh Gallery, Al Khair and Azizia Plaza.
VOX projects there will be a total of 340 screens in operation in the country by year’s end, and close to 700 by the end of 2021.
Having a market like Saudi Arabia can help Hollywood studios offset some of their losses, says Mitchell, who is worried that due to COVID-19, the supply chain is drying up. To overcome the challenge posed by the lack of new content, VOX is stepping up its offer of alternative content such as live soccer matches, opera and concerts, and also classic re-releases. VOX has also teamed up with local players Image Nation and MBC Group to produce a slate of Arabic films, at least three of which they plan to release in 2021 as part of a plan to release up to 10 Arabic self-produced titles annually.
Mitchell is confident the country will become a top ten global market for cinema, with ResearchAndMarkets.com forecasting the industry in the Kingdom will be worth more than $1.2 billion by the end of 2030.
Sources: Variety, Arabian Business, Arab News
Mobily – Saudi Arabian telecommunications company, recently booked an integrated cinema campaign with Motivate Val Morgan for its 5G connection services in Saudi Arabia.
The on-screen component of the campaign included two 15 sec. commercials booked for a period of 3 weeks: Mobily 5G Family – which screened from 22nd October to 2nd November 2020 and Mobily 5G Prepaid – which screened from 3rd to 11th November 2020.
The commercial was booked at the following Motivate Val Morgan serviced locations in KSA:
VOX Cinemas: Red Sea Mall, West Avenue Mall, Atyaf Mall, Sahara Mall and Riyadh Front
Muvi Cinemas: Nakheel Mall (Riyadh), Nakheel Mall (Dammam), Haifa Mall and Mall of Arabia
AMC Cinemas: KAFD, Panorama Mall and Al Khair
The off-screen component included the distribution of leaflets containing information on Mobily Air Fiber 5G at VOX Cinemas – Sahara Mall over the weekend of 5th – 7th November 2020.
Promoters were hired by the brand to oversee and assist with handing out leaflets to cinemagoers walking out of the auditoriums.
Click here to access the Mobily flyer distributed at VOX Cinemas – Sahara Mall.
An integrated campaign is an effective strategy to implement when promoting or launching a new service offering, for it engages cinema audiences – both within the auditorium and outside in the foyer area of the cinema, and provides higher ad recall.
Contact a member of our sales team to know more on how integrated campaigns can help move your brand closer to its target audience.
Muvi Cinemas celebrated the opening of its tenth and largest cinema location yet – Mall of Dhahran, on Thursday 15th October 2020.
The cinema is the first destination for movie lovers in the major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry – located in the Eastern province of KSA, and features 18 screens with a total of 2368 seats, including four unique cinema experiences: ScreenX, Dolby Cinema, Samsung Onyx and muvi SUITES.
The new cinema was inaugurated by Dhahran Municipality Chief Eng. Mohammed Al Jassim and Sultan Alhokair, CEO of Muvi Cinemas, in the presence of representatives from the Quality of Life Program, Arabian Centers Company, General Commission for Audiovisual Media, social media celebrities, and media representatives. The opening also included a special screening of the 2020 American horror movie Antebellum to VIPs and invitees.
Commenting on the opening of the cinema at Mall of Dhahran, Mahmoud Mirza, Marketing Director of Muvi Cinemas, said: “It is extremely gratifying to introduce another advanced and luxurious cinema concept for our customers in Saudi Arabia. Entertainment has been an important part of the Saudi entertainment business, and it is our responsibility to continue to offer enhanced experiences to our customers.”
He further added, “The new cinema complex which is considered as the largest in Saudi Arabia with its splendid aesthetics stands tall as one of the most advanced Muvi Cinemas in Saudi Arabia and we are excited for our customers to witness the captivating and immersive experience. We are certain that the newest Muvi Cinema in Dhahran Mall will be the next entertainment hub of the Eastern province.”
More on Mall of Dhahran
Mall of Dhahran by Arabian Centres which opened in 2005, is one of the best malls in Saudi Arabia and a key destination in the triplet cities of Dhahran, Dammam, and Al Khobar. Spread across one floor spanning 160,647 SQM, the mall provides more than 400 stores, 70 eateries and a variety of entertaining activities, dedicated to creating a vibrant and unique environment for all its guests.
From small boutiques and high-end brand stores, to new retailers and international brands, the mall is home to popular brands such as: Adidas, DKNY, The Body Shop, Zara, New Yorker, Swatch and many more. In terms of restaurants and cafés, the variety of food offerings range from stylish and contemporary international brands, popular fast-food chains and coffee and cake shops.
To complement its shopping and dining facilities, the mall boasts not only the first home-grown cinema chain – Muvi Cinemas, but also the world’s largest indoor playground – Billy Beez, and kids gaming and play center – Sparky’s.
The mall is Arabian Centres’ No. 1 mall in Saudi Arabia, with an occupancy rate of 94.6%, and its 2019 footfall was over 12.5 million.
As the official cinema advertising partner of Muvi Cinemas, Motivate Val Morgan congratulates the cinema exhibitor on the launch of Mall of Dhahran and warmly welcomes this new location to our cinema circuit in Saudi Arabia.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities at this new location.
Sources: Muvi Cinemas, Zawya, Mall of Dhahran and argaam
Muvi Cinemas launched a new cinema at Nakheel Mall in Riyadh on Wednesday 23rd September 2020. The cinema features 13 screens with a total of 1685 seats, and includes four unique cinema experiences: ScreenX, Dolby Cinema, Onyx and muvi SUITES.
The cinema exhibitor also recently launched an 18-screen cinema at Mall of Dhahran (Dhahran) on 15th October 2020, bringing Muvi’s total screen across KSA to 103 screens. The site also marks the tenth location for Muvi Cinemas in 14 months since debuting their first location, having entered the market in 2019 as KSA’s first homegrown cinema chain.
*More information on Mall of Dhahran to follow in the coming weeks.
As the official cinema advertising partner of Muvi Cinemas, Motivate Val Morgan congratulates the cinema exhibitor on the launch of Nakheel Mall in Riyadh and warmly welcomes this new location to our regional cinema circuit.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities at this new location.
Source: Muvi Cinemas
Muvi Cinemas opened its door to cinemagoers at yet another location in Jeddah – Aziz Mall, on Tuesday 15th September 2020.
Aziz Mall features 9 screens with a total of 1270 seats, and includes unique cinema experiences such as ScreenX and muvi Xperience.
The cinema exhibitor also launched two other cinemas at Nakheel Mall (Riyadh) and Mall of Dhahran (Dhahran) on 23rd September and 15th October 2020 respectively.
*More information on Nakheel Mall and Mall of Dhahran to follow in the coming weeks.
Muvi Cinemas presently operates 103 screens across 10 locations in 6 cities. Motivate Val Morgan congratulates Muvi on the launch of Aziz Mall and warmly welcomes this new location to our cinema circuit in Saudi Arabia.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities.
Related Articles:
Muvi Cinemas Opens at Haifa Mall in Jeddah
Muvi Cinemas Opens at Al Ahsa Mall in Saudi Arabia
Muvi Cinemas Opens at Jubail Mall in Saudi Arabia
Muvi Cinemas Opens Saudi Arabia’s First Dolby Screen
Muvi Cinemas Opens at U – Walk in Riyadh
Muvi Cinemas Opens Second Location at Al Hamra Mall in Riyadh
Motivate Val Morgan Welcomes Muvi Cinemas to Our Circuit in KSA
Source: Muvi Cinemas
Muvi Cinemas opened its doors to cinemagoers at Al Ahsa Mall in Hofuf – the major commercial center in the Eastern Province of KSA, on Wednesday 26th August 2020.
The cinema features 8 screens with a total seating capacity of 908, and also includes an Xperience screen.
Following the launch of the 8-screen cinema at Jubail Mall (Jubail) on 25th August 2020, Al Ahsa Mall is the second of four Muvi locations to launch after the re-opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia, post COVID-19 lockdown.
Muvi Cinemas also launched two 9 screen cinemas at Haifa Mall and Aziz Mall in Jeddah on 28th August and 15th September 2020 (respectively).
*More information on Haifa Mall and Aziz Mall to follow in the coming weeks.
Spanning 5 cities, across 8 locations, with a total of 72 screens, the cinema exhibitor plans to expand its operation in Saudi Arabia with the launch of two more locations – Mall of Dhahran (Dhahran) and Nakheel Mall (Riyadh), by end September 2020.
For more information about Muvi Cinemas, visit: www.muvicinemas.com
As the official cinema advertising partner of Muvi Cinemas, Motivate Val Morgan congratulates the cinema exhibitor on its openings at Al Ahsa Mall and warmly welcomes this new location to our regional cinema circuit.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities in KSA.
Related Articles:
Muvi Cinemas Opens at Jubail Mall in Saudi Arabia
Muvi Cinemas Opens Saudi Arabia’s First Dolby Screen
Muvi Cinemas Opens at U – Walk in Riyadh
Muvi Cinemas Opens Second Location at Al Hamra Mall in Riyadh
Motivate Val Morgan Welcomes Muvi Cinemas to Our Circuit in KSA
Sources: Muvi Cinemas
