From 1983 to 2018, cinema halls were prohibited in Saudi Arabia, with only a few IMAX theaters displaying scientific documentaries. During this period, people in the kingdom who wanted to see films relied on services such as cable TV, video rentals and DVDs. On April 18, 2018, the first movie theater in Saudi Arabia opened in Riyadh. The government currently intends to build more than 300 theaters with over 2000 movie screens around the kingdom by 2030.
I recently went to this movie theater with a friend to see a Hollywood adventure film (Jungle Cruise). This is the first movie theater to open in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province region. This cinema hall included screens presenting a variety of movie experiences, such as the standard screen with Dolby Atmos surround sound technology, which is best suited for economical consumers, Junior screens showcasing animated movies with documentaries, and Suites, which is the premium version with ultimate luxury cinema experience with special access to a private lounge and special seating arrangement while viewing movies. We chose the regular screen, which has a seating capacity of 150 people. I’m not a huge lover of seeing movies in theaters, prior to this trip, I had only been once to a theater which was in Bahrain (As I like to watch movies with my wife at home). We bought the movie tickets online form the application and surprisingly, I enjoyed watching the movie at this cinema hall. We purchased the snacks from the concession stores operated by the same management.
All COVID-19 protocols were followed at the cinema hall to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including social distancing markers, body temperature scans, and checking individuals’ vaccination status before allowing them to enter the theatre’s premises.
Wheelchair Accessibility Information: This theater offers dedicated wheelchair seats in the screens that are marked with the wheelchair friendly symbol, and all restrooms are wheelchair accessible.