Saudi Arabia authorities announced on Wednesday that the country’s first movie theater in 35 years is set to open on April 18.
This comes after authorities gave AMC Entertainment licence to establish cinemas across the country.
“AMC plans to open the kingdom’s first cinema theatre in Riyadh on April 18,” the information ministry’s Centre for International Communication said in a statement.
AMC Entertainment plans to open up to 40 theaters in the next five years.
The movie house will not be segregated by gender like most public places in the country, a source told Reuters.
“The granting of the first licence marks the opening of very significant opportunities for exhibitors,” Information Minister Awwad Alawwad said in a statement.
“The Saudi market is very large, with the majority of the population eager to watch their favourite films here at home,” Alawwad added.
Cinemas in Saudi Arabia were shut down in the 1970s after the government’s imposition of a cinema ban.
The ban was lifted in 2017 as the government ramped its effort to improve economic and social situations in the country.
