South Korea-based CJ 4DPLEX has signed a new partnership with Cinemacity to open three locations in the country’s capital city, Riyadh, and other major Saudi cities by the end of 2018. The move comes as Saudi Arabia is opening its doors to theatrical exhibition for the first time in 37 years as part of a wider economic and cultural liberalization initiative. The movie business is salivating over the prospect of entering the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s biggest economies and boasts a population of 32 million people, the majority of whom are under the age of 30. This month, AMC opened the first theater in Saudi Arabia and other exhibition companies are expected to follow suit.

4DX is like 3D on steroids. It’s an interactive experience, one in which audiences’ seats move along with the on-screen action — auditoriums have a variety of synchronized special effects, such as rain, wind, fog, and various scents.Al Qasr Mall will be the first CJ 4DPLEX multiplex in Riyadh, featuring 19 screens. Cinemacity’s parent company, Xclusive Cinemas SAL Holding, says it will operate 116 screens by the end of 2018 in five countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

“With this upcoming debut in Saudi Arabia and further expansion in this region with Cinemacity, we will reach to the Saudi’s untapped market and lead cinema revolution in progressing immersive cinema into the future,” Byung Hwan Choi, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX, said in a statement.

Earlier this week, CJ 4DPLEX announced it was adding 145 4DX screens around the world through a partnership with Cineworld, the parent company of Regal.

Saudi Arabia Getting First 4DX Theaters 

By Brent Lang@BrentALang  APRIL 25, 2018 9:25AM PT

FIRST 4DX THEATER IN SAUDI ARABIA