Why Hans Zimmer’s Latest Creation Could Be Crucial The Future Of Movie Theaters
Hans Zimmer has done it all in the movie music industry. Over more than four decades the German composer has produced some of Hollywood’s most memorable and sweeping scores from Gladiator and Interstellar to Dune and Pirates of the Caribbean. The productions he has scored have grossed a combined $28 billion and earned him two Oscars, three Golden Globes and five Grammy Awards. However, his latest project could be even more significant than all of those accolades as it could play a crucial role in getting the movie theater sector back to its pre-pandemic highs.
It’s fair to say that the past five years have been more challenging for movie theaters than any other period since the dawn of cinema. First the Covid-19 pandemic brought the curtain down on theaters all over the world and then when their doors finally swung open again they had to tempt an audience which had become accustomed to streaming new releases in their own homes and was wary of being in a crowded room whilst a deadly disease was raging.
Then came a cost of living crisis fueled by the war in Ukraine and governments increasing taxes to cover the cost of furlough payments during the pandemic. This led to a slump in streaming subscriptions and a surge in piracy aided by the studios putting their archives of content online. Some theater chains couldn’t survive this perfect storm and it wasn’t a breeze for the ones which managed to navigate these choppy waters.
Just as theaters were righting their ships along came the SAG-AFTRA strikes followed by the devastating wildfires in California at the start of this year. Last month movie industry specialists Gower Street Analytics forecast that this year’s global box office will hit $34.1 billion, 13% less than the average of the last three pre-pandemic years with North America finishing 17% down thanks to its anticipated $9.5 billion haul.
It has caused some commentators to question whether the theater sector has been bruised beyond repair but one company is proving that this is far from the case and it has enlisted Zimmer to shine a spotlight on this. In true Hollywood fashion, there is a twist to the tale as the company is based in one of the most unexpected locations.
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Hans Zimmer is one of the world’s most successful movie score composers (Photo by Francesco … More Prandoni/Getty Images)Getty Images
The Middle East isn’t famous for movie theaters – they weren’t even legal in Saudi Arabia, which is one of the biggest markets, until 2018. However, since the Covid-19 pandemic, the region has come into its own and is leading the way worldwide in terms of cutting-edge theater facilities. There is good reason for this.
Temperatures in the Gulf soar north of 100 in summer whilst they can even rise into the mid-80s in winter. As a result, there is an abundance of indoor entertainment and theaters in the region are usually in a prime position. They tend to be located inside malls which look more like sprawling entertainment complexes than shopping centers so visitors can stay there for the entire day rather than going back outside into the blazing sunshine.
It explains why malls in the Middle East are often home to theme parks, museums, galleries and sports facilities. Visitors come from far and wide and it gives theater operators a captive audience. A visit to the theater in the evening is a natural way to end the day so it has become a crucial part of local culture, especially as bars and nightclubs are not as common as they are in the west due to alcohol restrictions.
Malls are so integral to society in the Middle East that countries in the region couldn’t risk Covid-19 spreading in these indoor environments. So, unlike many western nations, they introduced strict prevention measures and this had a magic touch. Malls in major Middle Eastern cities were bustling again within a year of the start of the pandemic. It meant that theaters in the region had less down time than elsewhere which helped them weather the storm.
In the midst of the pandemic a report from Omdia, a consultancy firm owned by research giants Informa, revealed that the Middle East was the world’s fastest-growing cinema market over the four years to 2021. It didn’t stop there as Omdia announced in November last year that the region would generate $900 million of revenue in 2024, a 21.1% increase on 2019. What’s more, it added that this growth is set to continue with the annual revenue expected to hit $1.5 billion by 2029.
The Middle East isn’t just bucking the global trend in terms of box office revenue but also screen growth.
The decline in traffic to theaters has put chains in the west in jeopardy and in July 2022, Europe’s biggest privately-owned exhibitor, Vue, was taken over by its lenders. Two months later the the American arm of Cineworld, the world’s second-largest theater chain, went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Although it has since emerged from this, its U.K. operation is still struggling with a number of its sites closing over the past six months.
In stark contrast, the number of screens in the Middle East isn’t just increasing, its growth is outperforming the rest of the world. According to Maria Rua Aguete, Omdia’s senior research director of media and entertainment, around 1,000 screens have been added since 2019 bringing the total in the region to nearly 2,500 by the end of last year. One company dominates them all.
With more than 620 screens in its portfolio, VOX Cinemas is comfortably the Middle East’s biggest theater chain. It is also the region’s highest-grossing exhibitor and in 2024 its admissions increased 2% to 19.9 million thanks to hard work and a magic formula.Vox is the largest cinema chain in the Middle EastMajid Al Futtaim
VOX is owned by Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim which is a media conglomerate in the truest sense of the word. In addition to running the theaters, it also operates local retail franchises including LEGO, upscale U.S. clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch and Crate & Barrel, a high-end furniture retailer from Northbrook, Illinois. However, that is just the start.
Majid Al Futtaim also runs many of the malls which house its shops and theaters. Indeed, with 29 sites under its control, Majid Al Futtaim is the region’s biggest mall manager though, as this report revealed, it has more in common with entertainment giants like Disney and Universal than a retail operator.
In Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, Majid Al Futtaim is a partner in one of only two outlets worldwide of Dreamscape, the cutting-edge virtual reality operator which was part-financed by Warner Bros., Fox, IMAX and Steven Spielberg. Inside many of its malls are lavish snow parks and, as this report explained, they look more like resorts than the indoor ski slopes that are typical across the U.S. and Europe.
Last year this author reported that the region’s first outlet of cutting-edge Canadian escape room operator Activate had opened in one of Majid Al Futtaim’s malls and they are also home to iFLY facilities which replicate the sensation of skydiving in towering clear cylinders. Inside others are Magic Planet entertainment complexes containing the latest arcade games, midway games, VR games, climbing walls, large-scale simulators and carousels for kids.
This emphasis on entertainment is no coincidence. That’s because Majid Al Futtaim’s entertainment division is run by Ignace Lahoud, one of the most talented and experienced managers in the industry. Lahoud has an MBA from C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston and is a 27-year veteran of the The Walt Disney Company. This included a stint as chief financial officer of Disneyland Paris where he presided over one of the greatest periods of growth for the theme park resort. He rose up to become executive vice president and chief financial officer of Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media before joining Majid Al Futtaim in 2021.
Like Disney, it develops master-planned residential communities and it also owns Sheraton, Westin and Aloft hotels, some of which have movie-themed rooms. This too is no coincidence.
Movie studios don’t tend to promote and distribute their own movies in the Middle East as they do in the U.S. Instead, studios rely on local companies including Majid Al Futtaim which is the regional distributor of the Universal and Warner Bros. movies it shows in its theaters and those of its competitors. Despite its dominance, it isn’t resting on its laurels.
Unlike many other exhibitors around the world, which have only recently realized that they need to invest in their product, VOX regularly upgrades its theaters. It was the first operator in the region to introduce laser projection to its super-sized IMAX screens. It now has its own VOX MAX big screen format and holds the exclusive Middle East rights to 4DX cinemas which feature moving seats, smoke, wind and water effects.
Last year VOX introduced a top tier product offering more comfortable and cutting-edge seats than are found in first class on an airline along with delectable dishes served during the film. The innovation doesn’t stop at the doors to the theaters as their lobbies look like gleaming art galleries lined with white marble and restaurants from celebrity chefs.
It has helped to keep film fans streaming through its turnstiles, so much so indeed that, as local title Arabian Business reported, VOX expects its theaters to exceed pre-pandemic revenue this year. It has come up with a groundbreaking way of promoting that cinemas are back in business.
Last month Lahoud announced a “partnership with our friend and living legend Hans Zimmer. Hans is composing a unique score that will become the sound of VOX…We will also launch the new VOX brand campaign featuring Hans’s work. Thank you, dear Maestro.”
Known as ‘The Sound of VOX Cinemas’ the score is designed to become synonymous with VOX so when customers hear it they think of its cinemas. It is a smart strategy from Lahoud as music can be used to communicate to customers without using language which is helpful as, according to government data, more than 200 nationalities are resident in Majid Al Futtaim’s home country, the United Arab Emirates.Dave Bautista on the red carpet for the regional premiere of ‘Dune: Part Two’ at a Vox cinema in Abu … More Dhabi (Photo by Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures)Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures
Zimmer’s sonic brand identity is due to debut this week at a new cutting-edge VOX IMAX cinema and it won’t just be heard in the cinemas themselves but also at other customer service interaction points. Zimmer’s deep passion for cinema and mastery of conveying feelings through music made him the ideal choice.
“The Middle East holds a special place in my heart, as does cinema; it’s what truly moves me. I was genuinely excited to collaborate with VOX Cinemas, the region’s largest and most beloved cinema chain,” he said. “VOX Cinemas’ commitment to creating magical moments for guests and the idea of creating a unique sound for the brand resonated as it beautifully illustrates how cinema connects us all. It’s at the heart of so many unforgettable moments, ones that are passed down through generations, just as VOX has done over the years.” It was music to Lahoud’s ears.
“VOX Cinemas is proud to partner with the legendary Hans Zimmer to create a signature score that is instantly recognisable and synonymous with our brand. This collaboration marks a new chapter in our journey, enhancing the moviegoing experience with a distinctive sound that resonates across the diverse markets we serve,” he said.
“For 25 years, VOX Cinemas has been at the forefront of innovation in the global entertainment industry, shaping some of life’s most cherished moments — from childhood to adulthood. Through the magic of cinema, we continue to be a key part of our audience’s unforgettable experiences. As we look to the future, we remain committed to pushing boundaries and redefining how people experience cinema, ensuring that every visit to Vox is nothing short of extraordinary.”
It is no exaggeration as this is believed to be the first time that a movie theater chain has collaborated with such a high profile personality to create a theme tune. It is the kind of development that was more common in the heydays of cinema, long before streaming came on the scene, and it sends out an incredibly strong signal of confidence in the cinema sector.
Zimmer is easily the most famous frequently active film composer with upcoming projects including the third Dune movie and a BBC series based on William Golding’s novel, Lord Of The Flies. To get a sense of the impact he has on his projects, this author spoke to Gavin Greenaway, an eminent Emmy award-winning movie conductor who has worked on more than 100 film and television soundtracks including Wicked, Dunkirk and The Dark Knight.
“I’ve known Hans for over 45 years. I first met him when I was a teenager and he was programming synthesisers for recording sessions. Since then I have watched (and sometimes participated) as he has risen to become one of the most famous film score composers in the world.
“Most composers have one stand out ‘defining’ score, but Hans does this regularly, every few years he will create an iconic score which redefines a genre of modern film music. From Driving Miss Daisy to Gladiator to the Dark Knight to Interstellar to Dune, Hans regularly invents a new sound world for his movies, which become the ones for aspiring composers to try (and fail!) to emulate.
“What Hans has is a unique combination of many skills related to sound and music creation: an ear for universal melody and harmony; an intuitive understanding of orchestration; the mind of a scientist and engineer when it comes to sound design and synthesis; the ability to act as music producer (for himself as well as others); an unflinching work ethic (always striving for the excellent, never settling for OK); the ability to ‘read’ a director and work with them to create what they want and, more importantly, what works for the movie; and lastly a deep understanding of story structure on a par with the best film makers.
“Although he would describe himself as untrained, he has learned over many years by listening and experimenting. And his listening is eclectic, absorbing influences from pop, classical, rock, folk music from around the world resulting in a comprehensive understanding of how music works, even if he may not be a virtuoso at any one instrument. He has made the music sequencer the canvas on which he creates his scores – his instrument – and on that he is without doubt a master. This combination of skills and personality add up, in my opinion, to using the word ‘genius’ to describe Hans without any hint of hyperbole.”Hans Zimmer documentary ‘Diamond in the Desert’ was filmed in the United Arab Emirates (Photo by … More Karwai Tang/WireImage)WireImage
It is far from Zimmer’s first partnership in the region. Last month a film called Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert was released in select cinemas and was largely filmed in Dubai. The movie features a mesmerising montage of classic film scores performed at Hans Zimmer Live concerts in dramatic locations across Dubai.
They range from the Coca-Cola Arena in the middle of the city to the helipad of the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel and inside the cavernous Al Wasl dome, the world’s largest 360 degree projection screen. Fittingly, the scores include A Time of Quiet Between the Storms from last year’s Dune: Part Two which Zimmer performs in the desert not far from where the film itself was shot.
The concert footage is interspersed with discussions between Zimmer and other leading lights such as Billie Eilish, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Jerry Bruckheimer and Denis Villeneuve. He opens up to them about his creative process and they explain the meaning his music has on them.
He is also returning to the region to play his Hans Zimmer Live concerts at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on 31 May and 1 June. That will reportedly be followed by time in the studio with one of his projects being a reinterpretation of Saudi Arabia’s national anthem. Like Majid Al Futtaim, Zimmer isn’t resting on his laurels and although his first Academy Award came in 1995 for The Lion King, his second was just three years ago for Dune. So despite being in the business for almost half a century, he is still on song.
