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Saudi Arabia Chases $64 Billion Hollywood Dream

The desert kingdom’s becoming a destination for film makers after ending a decades-long ban on cinema.

Rock formations in Saudi Arabia's Al-Ula UNESCO World Heritage Site. The kingdom is pushing to become a film making location.Photographer: Zaid Smadi/Getty Images

Saudi Arabia’s decades-long ban on cinemas only ended in 2018, but the desert kingdom already has Hollywood ambitions.

It’s investing $64 billion in its nascent entertainment industry as part of a broader effort to wean the economy off oil and transform itself into the Middle East’s premier movie hub.