Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in American media and entertainment has continued largely uninterrupted. According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the Kingdom, which did not even have public cinemas until 2018, has rapidly emerged as a major player in Hollywood. In 2025 alone, Saudi Arabia reportedly invested over $20 billion in the landmark Warner Bros. and Paramount Skydance deal, marking one of the biggest transactions in the entertainment industry.
The report suggests that this aggressive push into Western entertainment is part of a broader soft power strategy. Over the past eight years, Saudi investors have significantly expanded their footprint. Nine major Saudi-backed entities now hold substantial stakes in global sports and entertainment giants, including WWE and Live Nation. Additionally, through its public investment funds and sovereign wealth funds, Saudi Arabia has acquired a $200 million minority stake in prominent entertainment news outlets, including Variety, Deadline, and the parent company of The Hollywood Reporter.
Saudi Arabia’s Big Stake in One of Hollywood’s Largest Entertainment Deals
David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance, one of Hollywood’s premier production houses, is set to finalise its billion-dollar deal to acquire Warner Bros Discovery later this year. The $110 billion deal, pushing Netflix out of the bidding, will have the final shareholder vote on April 23, aiming to close in Q3 2026, as per an official statement from Paramount Skydance.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) played a significant role by contributing around $12 billion. Abu Dhabi’s L’imad Holding Co and the Qatar Investment Authority each invested approximately $6 billion, bringing the total amount to $24 billion, also reported by The New York Times. From the $110 billion, Ellison’s family, the son of Oracle’s David Ellison, will back nearly $45.7 billion, as per the NYT.
This deal, however, has been opposed by over 1000 Hollywood members, who are not on board with the high-stakes merger. Their concerns include the limitation of US production houses, creative liberty, and a potential monopoly in the market. Actors like Kristen Stewart, Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, and Bryan Cranston have lent their support against the merger.
The investment from Saudi Arabia, however, is passive in nature. It would give them no governance or decision-making rights. However, it strengthens Riyadh’s long-standing ties with Hollywood and grants it indirect access to Warner Bros.’ massive billion-dollar content library, which includes iconic franchises like Batman, Superman, Harry Potter, The Game of Thrones, and the news network CNN.
Saudi Arabia’s Growing Influence in American Entertainment
At the heart of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment push is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom’s de facto ruler. Relations with Hollywood had cooled after the 2021 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, with some US firms reportedly returning nearly $400 million in potential deals.
However, economic pressures triggered by the Ukraine war and fluctuating oil prices prompted a swift re-engagement, the report said. Hollywood studios quickly resumed business with Riyadh.
Today, the Kingdom is actively hosting major global events. Saudi Arabia has welcomed top comedians such as Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, and Pete Davidson for the Riyadh Comedy Festival. International music stars like Cardi B, Post Malone, and Pitbull have headlined concerts in the capital, while the Red Sea Film Festival continues to attract millions of viewers worldwide.
Beyond film and music, Saudi Arabia is also making aggressive moves into gaming. In September 2025, a consortium involving Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners and Silver Lake acquired video game giant Electronic Arts for $55 billion, the Hollywood Reporter said . Separately, former Lionsgate executive Erik Feig announced a $1 billion studio partnership with Saudi Arabia’s PIF.