Box office revenue tops Saudi cinema with $83m in Q2

01/12/2025 05:39 AST

Saudi box office data released by the Saudi Film Commission for 2025 showed a clear shift in revenue trends, culminating in the exceptional performance of the second quarter, which topped the year with a total of SR311.9 million ($83 million).

This surge was driven by the momentum of Eid al-Fitr films, most notably the second installment of the "Shabab Al-Bomb" series. April sales reached SR94.7 million, rising to SR98.7 million in May before closing June at SR118.5 million - the highest monthly total of the year.

In comparison, the third quarter delivered a solid performance with revenues reaching SR296.5 million, according to Al-Eqtisadiah's analysis of Film Commission data from June 29 to Sept. 27, 2025.

This was driven by the peak of the summer season, particularly the film "Formula 1: The Rise of the Rising Stars" starring Brad Pitt. July's screenings, the longest in the month (June 29 to Aug. 2), generated SR137 million, followed by a decline in August (Aug. 3 to 30) to SR90.9 million. The decline continued in September (Aug. 31 to Sept. 27) to SR68.6 million, coinciding with the start of the school year.

First quarter revenues
The first quarter was the weakest, totaling SR136.2 million, despite a strong start supported by the continued screenings of the Saudi film "Hobal" and the Egyptian title "El Hana Elly Ana Fih." January alone recorded SR82.9 million before revenues fell to SR38.3 million in February and then to a low of SR15 million in March.

During the first half of 2025, Saudi box office revenues reached SR448.1 million, with 9.1 million tickets sold across various cities. Growth was supported by the expansion of cinemas, which by midyear reached 65 theaters with 635 screens across 20 cities, alongside the strong performance of local productions. "Shabab Al-Bomb 2" topped the box office for the period, followed by "Hobal," "Is'af," and "Fakhr Al-Suwaidi."

Arab News