Saudi Arabia is making a bold move in global filmmaking with the launch of its new PlayMaker Studios in Qiddiya City and ‘Games of Thrones’ director Alik Sakharov is set to spearhead the first production.
Sakharov, whose credits include ‘House of Cards’, ‘Ozark’ and ‘Marco Polo’, will direct the epic historical film ‘Unbroken Sword’, centred on the legendary Arab military commander Khalid ibn Al-Walid and the decisive Battle of Yarmouk.
PlayMaker Studios, situated within the Qiddiya entertainment and tourism mega-project outside Riyadh, marks a major milestone for the Kingdom’s creative ambitions. The campus spans over 50 acres and includes two high-spec soundstages, flexible workshops, full production facilities, contemporary offices and premium on-site amenities. Construction is also underway for two additional soundstages, scheduled for completion in 2026.
The studios are strategically located in an area that will soon feature a Six Flags amusement park, a Formula One-grade racetrack and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, one of the main venues for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Unbroken Sword is produced by the film arm of Saudi entertainment and hospitality holding Sela and backed by the General Entertainment Authority and Riyadh Season. Principal photography is set to begin in early 2026, employing more than 200 crew members. The production will make full use of the studios’ state-of-the-art soundstages and Qiddiya City’s dramatic Tuwaiq Mountains. Casting has not yet been announced.
Richard Sharkey, producer of House of the Dragon, Marco Polo and The Fifth Estate, said the film represents “something genuinely groundbreaking.” He described being the first production to use PlayMaker Studios as both a privilege and a responsibility, praising the scale, support and ambition of the Qiddiya project.
Saudi Arabia’s recent push into film production follows the lifting of a 35-year cinema ban in 2017 and is part of the broader 2030 Vision plan to diversify the economy beyond oil. Other major Saudi-backed productions are in development, including ‘7 Dogs’ by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, currently in post-production and an action thriller about the country’s drug enforcement operations, directed by Australian filmmaker Philip Noyce.
Abdullah Aldawood, Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company, said PlayMaker Studios represents a cornerstone of Qiddiya City’s ambitions. He described the facility as a world-class destination where innovation, culture and entertainment converge, offering a new home for the global film industry.
With incentives such as a 40 percent production rebate and plans for dedicated post-production, visual effects, volumetric and music studios, PlayMaker Studios aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a leading hub for film and television production in the Middle East and North Africa region.
