DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Saudi citizens will soon be able to go to the movies without crossing a national border, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes up the kingdom's economy and society. And the end of a 35-year ban on cinemas has already produced a high-powered partnership: between U.S.-based, Chinese-owned theater chain AMC Entertainment Holdings and a sovereign wealth fund Riyadh wants to develop into the world's largest.
By 2030, the Saudi government anticipates there will be 200 movie theaters in the country, with 2,000 screens; the first could open this March. Today, there are no commercial cinemas in the kingdom.
