Muvi Studios, the production division of Muvi Cinemas in Saudi Arabia, is significantly expanding its Arabic movie production endeavors. With a goal of releasing 10 new titles in 2024, they are poised to strengthen their influence in the film industry. One of their upcoming releases, “Esabet Azeema,” featuring the celebrated Egyptian actress Esaad Younis, marks a significant collaboration between Muvi Studios and Al Arabia Cinema, a prominent Egyptian studio. This comedy is set to debut locally on January 4, 2024.
The partnership between Muvi and Al Arabia Cinema previously resulted in the release of “Etneen Lil Egaar” (“Two For Rent”), a comedy about individuals offering to do any job for money, which performed well in theaters, accumulating over 300,000 admissions before being picked up by Netflix. Their upcoming collaboration will feature Egyptian actor and rapper Ahmed Mekky in a prominent role.
Fouad Alkhateeb, Muvi’s head of production, revealed plans for a diverse lineup of films in various stages of production, aiming for a 50/50 ratio between Saudi and Egyptian titles. Their intention is to release 20 to 24 films by 2025, maintaining this balanced ratio.
“El Senor,” a comedy directed by Aymen Khoja and produced by Muvi Studios, commenced filming on December 9. Muvi Cinemas, with its substantial presence across multiple locations in Saudi Arabia, holds a dominant position in the kingdom’s cinema market. Adon Quinn, Muvi’s CEO, emphasized the growing importance of local content in driving box office growth in Saudi Arabia. Despite Hollywood movies performing well, the box office in Saudi Arabia is increasingly propelled by Arabic content, particularly from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
A recent example demonstrating the traction of local films is “Mandoob,” a Saudi Arabian thriller released by Front Row Arabia. The film, depicting the story of a struggling man turned illegal booze runner in Riyadh, topped the Saudi box office charts, showcasing the remarkable reception and success of regional content.
Muvi Studios’ aggressive expansion in producing Arabic movies reflects a strategic effort to cater to the rising demand for local content and further solidify their foothold in the evolving landscape of the Saudi Arabian film industry.
