Cinema screen growth in the Middle East region is outperforming the rest of the world, with around 1,000 new screens added since 2019. By the end of 2024, the region will have 2,500 screens, with Saudi Arabia posting a strong increase.
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Summary
Cinema screen growth in the Middle East region is outperforming the rest of the world, with around 1,000 new screens added since 2019. By the end of 2024, the region will have approaching 2,500 screens, with Saudi Arabia posting particularly strong increases.
Saudi Arabia driving cinema growth in the Middle East
New Omdia analysis has revealed that the MENA cinema market is poised for substantial revenue growth, projected to increase from $900 million in 2024 to $1.5 billion by 2029. Saudi Arabia is expected to play a pivotal role in driving this growth, contributing nearly two-thirds of the region’s cinema revenue by 2029.
Screen growth in the Middle East has overtaken the rest of the world, with approximately 1,000 new screens added since 2019. By the close of 2024, the region is expected to reach nearly 2,500 screens, reflecting the rising demand for cinematic experiences across MENA, driven primarily by Saudi Arabia.
Figure 1: Screen infrastructure is growing in the Middle East
Source: Omdia
Saudi Arabia is set to lead the MENA region in screen count by end-2024, reaching 803 screens, followed by the UAE with 734. This growth is largely due to Saudi Arabia’s substantial investment in its entertainment infrastructure.
The film industry in the Middle East is undergoing a significant shift, with a growing focus on local productions and the expansion of Arab cinema. While the Arab film culture is gaining momentum, there is still much work to be done to sustain interest in local films and broaden their appeal.
With films no longer made solely for cinema, streaming platforms play a major role in financing. The result is that audiences are offered a great variety of films, including those that might not reach traditional cinemas due to cost or limited availability of screens. In a region that contains relatively few arthouse cinemas, there is a growing need for more diverse venues and programming to reflect the evolving film culture and cater to different tastes and genres. Expanding the availability of diverse cinema will be key to meeting demand.
Figure 2: Split of net screen changes, 2019–24
Source: Omdia
Omdia believes the growth of cinema in the MENA region, particularly in Saudi Arabia, signals a major shift in both the regional entertainment landscape and global filmmaking. Investments in infrastructure, local film production, and streaming are helping diversify cinema offerings. As audiences embrace both traditional theater and digital platforms, the region’s film culture has immense potential to flourish and gain international recognition.
Beyond cinema, the online video streaming market in MENA is also on a strong growth trajectory, projected to generate revenue of $2.7 billion by 2029. This also reflects the region's evolving entertainment landscape, where audiences are embracing both traditional cinema and digital streaming platforms, creating a diverse and dynamic entertainment ecosystem.
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Author
Maria Rua Aguete, Senior Research Director, Media and Entertainment
