MUMBAI: For movie lovers in the middle east north Africa (Mena) region, this is great news. And for Indian movie producers and distributors it is probably even better news. Analysis by London-based research outfit Omdia has revealed that the Mena cinema market is poised to catapult to new heights with revenue growing from $900 million in 2024 to $1.5 billion by 2029. The main driver of this growth is going to be Saudi Arabia which will account for almost two-thirds of the region’s cinema revenue.
West Asia, according to Omdia, has emerged as the fastest cinema building market, adding 1,000 new screens, starting 2019 to reach 2.500 screens by end 2024. Saudi Arabia, which is on aggressive city and entertainment hub building spree is expected to lead the additions, reaching 803 screens by year end 2024. The UAE is expected to be next in the pecking order with 734 screens.
To top that, OMDIA says that even though west Asia is focusing on local productions, expanding its theatre count, and spreading cinema culture there is still much work to be done to sustain interest in local films and broaden their appeal.
Beyond cinema, the online video streaming market in Mena is also on a strong growth trajectory, projected to reach $2.7 billion by 2029. This 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.
Says Omdia senior director of media & entertainment Maria Rua Agute: “With films no longer made solely for cinema; streaming platforms play a major role in financing and offer audiences a great variety of films, including those that might not reach traditional cinemas due to cost or limited availability of screens. In a region with relatively few arthouse cinemas in the region, 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.
"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."
