Saudi Arabia’s Hollywood Gambit: Billions, Soft Power, and Global Influence

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and other Gulf wealth are pouring billions into Hollywood—including roughly $12 billion of a $24 billion Paramount-Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery investment—to gain IP access, shore up Washington influence, and build a domestic entertainment engine, while pursuing other deals like EA. The strategy aims at soft power and economic diversification, but faces governance questions, cost overruns, and geopolitical risks that could affect execution and regional stability.