With the U.S.-Israel war on Iran in its sixth day, the focus, beyond the geopolitical consequences, human cost and stranded travelers, has been on the implications for the energy and tourism industries of the neighboring Gulf states which have come under retaliatory attack.
Another economic casualty in the Gulf of the escalating conflict could be the box office of the Eid Al Fitr holiday, which is due to kick off on March 19 with the end of Ramadan during which observant Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
Pan regional exhibitor Vox Cinemas, Emirati chain Roxy Cinemas, Novo Cinemas in Qatar and UAE, Cinescape in Kuwait as well as Muvi Cinemas and AMC Cinemas in Saudi remain open for now and have lined-up buzzy Eid Al Fitr programs.
Films due to hit cinemas across the region on March 19 include Hoppers, Scream 7, Project Hail Mary, The Strangers: Chapter 3, Reminders of Him, The Bride, Sirāt, Malayalam comedy franchise Aadu 3, Hindi-language spy thriller Dhurandhar 2 and Pakistani Punjabi-language action Bullah.
But with hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones targeting U.S. bases and local energy facilities as well as occasionally hitting airports and hotels across the region since Saturday, the situation is extremely volatile, and it remains to be seen whether local populations will feel safe enough to go to the cinema.
Indian period action gangster film Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups was also due to release in cinemas on March 19, but its producers announced on Wednesday that they were shifting the worldwide release date to June 4 due to “current uncertainty” in the Middle East.
Deadline has reached out to key local distributors and U.S. studios with films due out in the Gulf and wider Middle East on March 19 for an update on their plans. Replies have been scant and on background only. There have been no announcements of other date shifts for now, but we understand that the situation is being closely scrutinized by execs in the region and L.A.
“It’s Ramadan anyway so the business is super slow. It usually drops 80 to 90% but with the current situation it’s even worse,” said Gianluca Chakra at Front Row Filmed Entertainment, which has recently enjoyed a blockbuster run in the region with Jason Statham action picture Shelter.
“We have Sirāt scheduled for an Eid release but given the situation, we’re not sure what’s going to happen. We’re all very much on stand-by,” he continued.
The Eid Al Fitr holiday is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for cinemas across the region, after the slower pace of life during the Ramadan period for the predominantly Muslim population, with people working reduced hours and weeks.
Gulf box office powerhouse Saudi Arabia, for example, posted a 94.7 million Saudi Riyal ($25.2M) gross in the post-Ramadan month of April last year, against 15 million Saudi Riyal ($4M) during the previous Ramadan month of March, according to Saudi Film Commission figures.
The month-long Ramadan period of fasting, prayer and reflection for observant Muslims, runs from February 17 to 19 March this year.
The pace would normally pick-up again with the Eid Al Fitr holiday, due to begin on March 19, with the first sighting of the new crescent moon. A public holiday through to March 21 across the Gulf region, it is a time for family get-togethers and leisure activities such as trips to the cinema, amusement parks and mini breaks.
With U.S. President Donald Trump saying on Monday (March 2) that the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran’s Islamic Republic government is likely to last four to five weeks and maybe longer – so at least until March 30, April 6 – plans for the Eid Al Fitr holiday season will be in limbo for days, if not weeks to come.