The Ministry of Culture and Information of Saudi Arabia has announced it will lift the ban on commercial cinemas that has lasted more than 30 years. It also said that it would begin issuing licences immediately, allowing the first cinemas to open around March 2018.

Cinemas were advised by the clergy of the country to be "depraved" and corruptive of public morals, but the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman seemingly has other ideas, as per his Vision 2030 social and economic reform programme.