City Riyadh Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has acquired all MENA rights for the Saudi Arabian drama Within Sand, which was the Jury Prize winner at the second Red Sea International Film Festival earlier this month.

EXCLUSIVE: LA’s 3Point0 Labs has continued its signing spree by adding Saudi-American producer DH’BAB Productions to its ranks.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi director and producer Osama Alkhurayji’s debut feature film “Siwar” recently wrapped principal photography in AlUla, the swathe of northwest Saudi Arabia comprising ancient artifacts, a lush oasis and sandstone canyons that’s becoming a burgeoning local film production hub. “Siwar” involves two families – one Turkish, the other Saudi – whose fates become entangled due to a revelation about their newborns.

MBC Studios has officially confirmed that Samar Akrouk will succeed the departing Christina Wayne as Managing Director.

the upcoming Miss Universe 2024 pageant as it announces its debut in the prestigious international competition. Rumy Alqahtani, a 27-year-old Riyadh-born model and content creator, has been chosen to represent the Kingdom on this global platform, marking a significant moment for Saudi Arabian women in beauty pageants.Alqahtani, known for her grace, poise, and intelligence, posted a heartfelt message on her Instagram account expressing her honor and excitement about participating in the Miss Universe 2024 competition.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia, where popular anime characters such as “Captain Tsubasa” and “Dragon Ball” protagonist Son Goku have been engrained in the culture for decades, is taking its love affair with Japanese manga content to the next level. In late March, just a few weeks after the death of “Dragon Ball” creator Akira Toriyama, it was announced that the world’s first theme park dedicated to the megahit Japanese manga and animation franchise will be built in Qiddiya, the massive entertainment and tourism project outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh through a joint venture between Qiddiya and Japan’s Toei Animation.

The world’s first Dragon Ball theme park will be built in Saudi Arabia, in Qiddiya, an entertainment and tourism project outside the capital of Riyadh.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Just a few weeks after the death of its creator Akira Toriyama, the world’s first theme park dedicated to the “Dragon Ball” universe of comics, movies, and games is set to be built in Saudi Arabia. The “Dragon Ball” park, centred around the world of Son Goku – the young boy with supernatural martial arts powers on a journey to collect seven magical orbs that elicit a wish-granting dragon – will be built in Qiddiya, the entertainment and tourism project outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the Qiddiya Investment Company and Toei Animation announced on Friday.

EXCLUSIVE: Saudi director Ali Kalthami’s indie thriller Night Courier (Mandoob) has drawn 605,000 spectators at home for a $7.5M box office gross following its release last December, in a first for a homegrown indie thriller in the territory.

EXCLUSIVE: UK production and distribution outfit Swipe Films has recently completed post-production on under-the-radar feature documentary Quintessentially Irish, which it has sold globally to Vision Films (ex UK & Ire).

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia’s Film AlUla has announced it is adding a state-of-the-art music recording studio alongside its moviemaking studios. The film commission for the swathe of northwest Saudi Arabia roughly the size of Belgium that also comprises a lush oasis and vast sandstone canyons currently has filmmaking facilities that include two large soundstages, a backlot, and production support buildings.

Manchester United icon Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his first goal of 2024 in a new way. He scored the only goal in a 1-0 win for Al-Nassr nine minutes from time to lead his team to a 1-0 victory against Al-Fayha in an Asian Champions League round-of-16 clash on Wednesday.

Saudi’s Joy Awards Honors Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Costner & More

MGM Alternative is getting into the gaming world.

Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo surprised his mother with a birthday gift after jetting back to Portugal.

Metallica have released footage of ‘The Unforgiven’ from their first-ever concert in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.The metal icons performed at Soundstorm festival in Riyadh on December 14 as their final show of 2023, which also marked their first gig in the country.The show was originally billed as the first-ever from a major international heavy metal act in the country, but Canadian death metal band Cryptopsy performed in Riyadh on December 1.Metallica performed a 16-song setlist that included favourites like ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’, ‘Master Of Puppets’ and ‘Enter Sandman’.Now the band have shared an eight-minute, professionally shot performance video of ‘The Unforgiven’ from the show. Check it out below.You can find fan-shot footage and the full setlist from Metallica’s first show in Saudi Arabia here.A spokesperson for Heavy Arab Entertainment (per Metal Injection) said of Cryptopsy’s historic performance: “We take immense pride in pioneering the organization of the first-ever international metal band in Saudi Arabia, and we are incredibly honored to have Cryptopsy, alongside [support bands] Creative Waste and Necrosin, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Saudi metal scene.”“Our commitment to promise and deliver, even in the face of imperfections, has truly been the driving force behind this milestone for the scene.

EXCLUSIVE: Saudi hit thriller Night Courier (Mandoob) has continued its record-breaking box office run at home in its second week on release, outpacing Aquaman and Dunki with just under three times the admissions of either picture.

Saudi director Ali Kalthami’s thriller Night Courier (Mandoob) has posted a record-breaking opening at home, generating 114,000 admissions for a $1.58 million gross to beat Warner Bros. blockbuster Wonka.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabian thriller “Mandoob,” about a struggling man who becomes an illegal booze runner, beat “Wonka” over the weekend to top the Saudi box office chart while also scoring the biggest opening to date for a local film in the territory. The groundbreaking Saudi movie, which world-premiered positively in Toronto in September – and more recently bowed regionally at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah – tallied 114,000 admissions and a $1.58 million gross box office intake following its Dec.

Tyson Fury has given fans a sneak peek inside his fancy private jet as he flew to Saudi Arabia for a family holiday.The Gypsy King took a little break with his family before his big fight with Oleksandr Usyk on February 17, after beating UFC star Francis Ngannou. Giving a glimpse inside their lavish lifestyle, his wife Paris Fury showed off their swanky plane ride on Instagram. Seemingly shot by Tyson, Paris added the caption: "Just took a little trip...

Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma has named former Manchester United attacker Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player he has faced, ahead of Lionel Messi.

Dennis Harvey Film Critic The urge to dazzle can be its own straitjacket, and it’s one that weighs heavily on Meshal Aljaser’s feature debut “Naga.” He aims for a hurtling virtuosity, à la “Run Lola Run,” in depicting a disobedient young Saudi woman’s extreme travails in trying to get home before her strict curfew. But that quarter-century-old German thriller’s simplicity of plot supported its hyperbolic style, while here the writer-director is so preoccupied with camera and editorial calisthenics, nothing else has a chance to come into focus.

Former Universal Pictures executive Paul Chesney has been out and about this past week at the third edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, running November 30 to December 9 in the port city of Jeddah.

MBC Studios is developing a series adaptation of popular Saudi writer Osamah Almuslim’s best-selling debut horror novel Khawf (Fear).

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Young Saudi director Meshal Al Jaser, who springs from the country’s vibrant YouTube scene, is making a splash with his madcap feature debut “Naga,” in which a young woman named Sara goes on a date and takes drugs in the desert. She then must overcome various obstacles, including a rabid camel, to get home before the curfew set by her punishment-prone father. Produced by Saudi’s prominent Telfaz11 production company in tandem with Netflix, “Naga” marks the first Saudi film selected for Toronto’s Midnight Madness program and is now premiering locally to ravishing response at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding Telfaz11 Studios has announced the genre-bending epic “Al-Gaid” (working title), set to be the first feature to go into production under its exclusive nine-picture deal with Neom, the sprawling production hub in Saudi’s northwestern corner. Set against the backdrop of the 19th-century wintery northern Arabian desert, “Al-Gaid” is penned by Saudi novelist and writer Ahmed Alhokail and blends the revenge genre with Bedouin soap opera tropes, “crafting a unique narrative tailored for an Arab audience,” according to a Telfaz11 statement.

Shareholders at Saudi Arabian media giant MBC Group are seeking to raise as much as $222 million by listing the company on the Saudi Exchange, known as Tadawul. 

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi-owned MBC Group, the Middle East’s top broadcaster, has announced it is floating a 10% stake on the Riyadh stock exchange seeking to raise up to 831 million riyals ($222 million) in a move to boost growth and help fuel its output of high-end productions. “Institutional and retail investors will be allowed the opportunity to acquire shares and participate in the long-term growth plans of the company and the Saudi media market,” MBC Group said in a statement on Thursday.

Former Universal Pictures executive Paul Chesney has announced the creation of Riyadh-based production company Red Palm Pictures on the eve of Saudi Arabia’s third Red Sea International Film Festival.

Turki Alalshikh, the Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment for the Saudi Government and owner of LaLiga side Almeria, tweeted that Inter Miami FC was going to compete against Al-Nassr FC in the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia. Meaning, Lionel Messi would be playing against, Cristiano Ronaldo. It was billed as ‘The Last Dance’ alluding to a final match-up between two two legends before they retire.

Saudi Arabian media giant MBC Group has announced its intention to float a 10% stake in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Saudi Exchange, known as Tadawul, in the coming months.

Filmmaker Mohammed Almughanni’s project Son of the Streets, about a Palestinian child living in a refugee camp in Beirut, has been awarded Best Pitch at the IDFA Forum Awards. The world’s largest documentary film festival presented two additional prizes on Wednesday, including the IDFA Forum Award for Best Rough Cut to Coexistence, My Ass!, and the DocLab Forum Award to Turbulence. Each of the winners receives a cash prize of €1,500.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been tipped for a shock return to England after leaving Manchester United last year - with a move to Newcastle touted for the Portugal legend.

New Riyadh-based acquisition and distribution company TwentyOne Entertainment has announced its launch at upcoming the Red Sea International Film Festival, which is due to unfold in the port city of in Jeddah from November 30 to December 9.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has announced the bulk of its lineup from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), signaling that the event is forging ahead with its third edition despite the Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world. The fest’s third edition, set to run Nov.

Cristiano Ronaldo could make a sensational WWE debut in Saudi Arabia, according to reports.

Tyson Fury has been advised by boxing legend Riddick Bowe to withdraw from his heavyweight world title fight with Oleksandr Usyk.