‘Black Panther’ Opening: Saudi Arabia Lifting Decades-Long Ban on Movie Theaters

The initiative is a part of the ongoing Vision 2030 program led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a bid to socially reform the conservative kingdom.
Sputnik

Disney's blockbuster "Black Panther" will be shown at a test screening in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, officially lifting a 35-year-long ban on movie theaters in the country.

The test screening will consist of a series of trial runs before the movie will be available to the wider public in May.

"It will be the first in a series of test screenings, attended by industry specialists, that will be held… to support final preparations for the opening of the cinema to the wider public," the information ministry's Center for International Communication said.

Earlier in April, Saudi authorities announced their decision to open the first cinema in over three decades in the country's capital of Riyadh, an initiative that is being put into practice on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Ready, Steady, Go! Saudi Women Not Only Drive, But From Now On Run in Marathons

The move comes as a part of liberalization efforts driven by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and is a huge progress for the conservative kingdom.

The wide-ranging social reform program, among other things, includes enhanced support for sports and entertainment as well as new opportunities for women.

In particular, the country has at long last allowed women to drive and serve in the army as well as limiting the overwhelming powers of the religious police.

READ MORE: Armed and Dangerous: Saudi Women Earn the Right to Serve in the Military

In early March, the kingdom also saw the first ever female marathon take place in Saudi Arabia, which is yet another step in Saudi Arabia's universally-praised long-term modernization effort.

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