Saudi Arabia emerges as possible home for future Universal Studios park

Universal Studios has quietly entered the conversation around Saudi Arabia’s fast-expanding entertainment landscape, with early-stage discussions underway about a potential theme park in the Kingdom.

According to reporting by The Wall Street Journal, the idea is still very much on the drawing board. Comcast, Universal’s parent company, is said to be exploring the concept, but nothing has been approved and no construction plans are in motion yet. For now, it’s all preliminary, sketches, discussions, and feasibility checks.

The proposed location being looked at is Qiddiya, the massive entertainment and tourism development taking shape southwest of Riyadh. The destination is already positioned as Saudi Arabia’s future leisure hub, so it makes sense that a global name like Universal would at least take a look.

If the Universal Studios park project does move forward, it would likely be years away, with completion timelines stretching into the 2030s.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts recently visited Saudi Arabia for an investment conference and toured Qiddiya during the trip. The visit has only added fuel to speculation, though company officials have stressed that the project remains at the concept stage.

What a Universal park in Saudi Arabia might look like is still anyone’s guess. No franchises, rides, or attractions have been locked in, largely because the plan hasn’t progressed far enough for those decisions to be made.

Still, the interest itself says a lot. Saudi Arabia has been aggressively courting global entertainment brands as part of its Vision 2030 push to diversify the economy beyond oil. Major projects are already underway, including Six Flags Qiddiya City, which is scheduled to open at the end of 2025.

Tourism numbers help explain the momentum. The Kingdom welcomed more than 100 million visitors in 2024, with international tourists making up a significant share.

Early data from 2025 suggests that growth hasn’t slowed. Against that backdrop, it’s no surprise that companies like Universal are starting to explore what a future presence in Saudi Arabia could look like.