Spotlight: New prince of Saudi Arabia courts Hollywood

Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-23 04:43:54|Editor: yan
Video PlayerClose

By Julia Pierrepont III

LOS ANGELES, April 22 (Xinhua) -- As part of economic development program, Saudi Arabia's newly-installed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched a major entertainment industry initiative that has Hollywood rolling out the red carpet for him.

A 35-year ban on movies in the prince's country was feted at an April 18 gala opening in Riyadh of Marvel's megahit "Black Panther."

Popular Saudi film producer, Al Turki ("99 Homes" , "Arbitrage" ), who attended the historic Black Panther screening in capital of the country, thought the film's choice was apropos, since,"' Black Panther' follows a prince who wants the best for his kingdom - that is something a lot of people here could relate to."

The lifting of the ban has Hollywood studios and entertainment companies lining up to nab a piece of an emerging new territory that experts predict could soon be a billion dollar market, comprised primarily of audiences under 30 years of age.

"The younger generation is very sophisticated and they are demanding more entertainment options," explained Saudi's General Authority for Entertainment (GEA) Chairman Ahmed Al Khateeb, "You will never find a better market than Saudi Arabia."

"We're so thrilled that we'll now be able to share our movies with audiences in Riyadh and throughout Saudi Arabia," enthused Warner Bro Chief, Kevin Tsujihara, while former Academy of Motion Pictures President, Hawk Koch, predicted the coming of a new generation of Saudi filmmakers that could nab an Oscar nom someday soon.

In a surprise move last June, Saudi's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud appointed his son Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the monarchy's new Crown Prince, to replace Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a man known for years of counter terrorism efforts.

Prince Mohammed Salman was appointed also as deputy prime minister, President of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs, and Minister of Defense.

Jumping in feet first, Prince Salman has put an ambitious plan in place, called Vision 2030, designed to ease the Kingdom into the 21st Century over the next dozen years. Bracing Hollywood is a part of the plan.

Following a dinner with Queen Elizabeth in London, a meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, the prince flew west to meet the cream of Hollywood's power elite to discuss the future of cooperative entertainment.

News Corp's Rupert Murdoch hosted a dinner for him at his swanky Bel Air mansion early this month, where the Prince dined with such industry heavy-hitters as WB' s Kevin Tsujihara, Walt Disney's Bob Iger, Fox's Stacey Snider, Universal's Jeff Shell, and A-listers, Dwayne Johnson, Morgan Freeman, and James Cameron.

He also met with Microsoft's Bill Gates, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and media mogul Oprah Winfrey.

And it's not just social chit-chat. Big-ticket deals are in play. The Prince has reportedly set aside hundreds of millions to jump-start Saudi's nascent entertainment industry and promised up to an additional 64 billion U.S. dollars more for future developments over the next decade to construct cinemas, water parks, themed attractions, and filmed content.

"This is a great opportunity for you to come to Saudi Arabia and invest in the infrastructure," said GEA Chairman Al Khateeb.

Prominent Hollywood producer, Hunt Lowry, who previously brokered a billion dollar film and theme park deal between Warner Brothers and Abu Dhabi, told Xinhua Friday, "They're serious about putting their money where their mouth is. And the scale of investment being discussed would be very good for both Hollywood and Saudi Arabia."

The Kingdom's newly-minted film committee, The Saudi Film Council, will also be making a big splash in two weeks at the Cannes Film Festival, the global film industry' s preeminent annual market and gala meet and greet affair.

"The Kingdom looks forward to its debut presence at the festival, celebrating and supporting the diversity of talent and opportunities within the Saudi film industry," announced Awwad Alawwad, Saudi culture minister and chairman of GEA's board.

"We're starting from scratch," GEA CEO, Faisal Bafarat, told Variety. "In some areas, we are starting from zero."

Another big Hollywood-Saudi deal in the works is with Ari Emmanuel's WME talent agency - the second largest agency in Hollywood after CAA - where the Prince will be buying a 5 percent to 10 percent stake for a reputed 400 million U.S. dollars.

But not everyone in Hollywood is welcoming the Prince with open arms since some activists argued that the prince should take more measures to improve women's rights of all aspects in the society.

Saudi women were given permission in January to attend football matches and to start their own businesses without the consents of their male relatives, while the country just announced its plan few months ago to allow women to drive from June this year.

But producer, Al Turki, told the press that he was more optimistic that the Prince would gradually usher in more substantive changes.

"There was no segregation at the ('Black Panther' ) screening and I saw lots of happiness and cheering of men and woman side by side. I think this is how it's going to be in the future."

Said the CEO of AMC Theaters, Adam Aron, who recently struck a deal to open 350 cinemas in the Kingdom, "The crown prince is aware that Saudi Arabia has had a difficult image in the United States...He wants to transform Saudi society in ways that will be very appealing to Americans."

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011105521371291931
彩神xl 大发app 凤凰彩票app 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 大发彩票 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ii下载入口 乐发ll 乐发v平台 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 乐发lv 乐发lll安装 乐发lv 乐发登录入口 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票登录 网信彩票 彩神 彩神彩票官方网站 彩神彩票官网首页 彩神官方app下载安卓版 凤凰彩票登录 彩神v3 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 快3官网 网信彩票 快3app 网信彩票平台 百姓彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3app下载 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票平台 幸运5分彩快3 快3彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 大发10分PK10 快3下载 网信彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3彩票官网app 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 大发彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 彩神购彩平台 每日彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 彩神彩票购彩平台 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 凤凰彩票登录 乐发lv 乐发∨Il 百姓彩票网站网址 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发lll安装 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 一分快3 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 乐发lll 乐发ii下载入口 乐发彩票官方网站 凤凰彩票官方网站 凤凰快3 彩神彩票官网首页 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 凤凰彩票app 乐发app 网信彩票平台 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票app 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票app 网信彩票平台 乐发彩票app下载 乐发lv 乐发app 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 彩神彩票 乐发彩票中心 极速快3彩票平台 人人快三凤凰 大发彩票app 大发彩票大全 乐发彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 乐发app 酷天堂彩票平台 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票大厅 凤凰彩票app 极速快3彩票平台 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 大发彩票app 网信彩票用户 百姓快三 百姓彩票平台 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 彩信平台 网信彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发∨Il 人人快三凤凰 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 人人快三凤凰 乐发彩票 彩神彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发彩票 大发彩票中心 凤凰彩票登录 凤凰彩票app 彩神彩票 大发彩票 乐发ll 大发彩票app 凤凰快3 凤凰彩票 彩神彩票 乐发ll 凤凰彩票 乐发lll 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 彩神彩票 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 盈彩网投资平台 大发官网 一分时时彩 乐发lv 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 彩神iv 大发彩票app 大小单双平台 一分pk10 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发官网 快彩彩票 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 乐发彩票中心 网信快3 乐发 彩神xl 三分快3 大发彩票 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 大发彩票 乐发 分分快3 彩神vl 55世纪 55世纪 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 乐发lv welcome凤凰彩票 乐发ll 1分快3 彩神 彩神ll 1分快3官网 1分快3的平台 welcome凤凰彩票 三分快3 彩神x 彩神vl 凤凰彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ll 乐发lll 乐发lv 大发彩票app 大发彩票 乐发 乐发彩票 乐发彩票中心 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 彩神xl 腾讯快3 大发彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票app 快3平台 乐发 1分快3 乐发彩票 彩神x 凤凰快3 彩神xl 彩吧助手 大发彩票app 快3平台 大发排列3 彩神iv 彩神vl 乐发IV 彩神x 一分pk10 大发排列3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 一分pk10 凤凰彩票 乐发Vll 大发官网 乐发ll 大发彩票 乐发1 凤凰快3 彩神vl 乐发lx 百姓彩票 乐发VI 彩神x 乐发IV 极速快3 乐发 凤凰快3 网信快3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发lv 乐发lv 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 大发彩票 大发彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 彩神x 乐发 乐发ll 极速快3 乐发lv 乐发彩票中心 快3彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 彩神x 凤凰彩票app 分分快3 网信彩票 网盟彩票 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票 乐发 快彩彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发ll 网信彩票 乐发lv 全民彩票 凤凰彩票app下载 快盈彩票 大发彩票app 大发官网 凤凰彩票 彩神iv 大发彩票 网信快3 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票