We know that a few months ago 200+ high ranking Saudis were detained and $50 billion in assets seized. Some kind of societal overhaul is happening in Saudi Arabia. I wonder what’s the cause? A Trump-effect? There’s always been a running division among Saudi royalty, but this is unusual. However, we must remember that the powerful there are Western-educated and their religious beliefs are, err, moderate to say the least.
The royals being arrested seem to have used religion to gain more power, so there's that.
To modernize, Saudi Arabia has focused on bringing about attitude changes first - hence the enormous women's university that was built, and similar projects of such ilk. Not to mention countless laws that were implemented for more societal rights to women. It's working.
Either this will blossom into a full-blown westernized country or we will see a religious uprising, which is what Osama Bin Laden's son was calling for yesterday, and it'll all go to hell. Good luck to anyone living there, but, hey, at least they now have a cinema!
A report from The Hollywood Reporter has “Black Panther” set to be the first film screened in Saudi Arabia after a 35 year cinema ban was lifted in December of last year. Quickly after that AMC set their sights in building a movie theater at the unused symphony hall, which holds 620 seats. The theater is now ready to open and 'Panther' set to premiere there any day now.
I'm thinking that just based on the fact that hundreds of theaters are set to open there in the next few years, the Middle Eastern film market will no doubt be a major option for Hollywood.
“Black Panther” will be released on April 18th, followed by “Avengers: Infinity War,” on April 26.