Saudi Arabia opened its first commercial movie theatre on Wednesday, April 18. Now The  Arab country ended a nearly 40-year ban on cinemas under a positive drive by the crown prince to revise the severely conservative Muslim kingdom.

The launching marks another landmark for reforms spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to open the country ethnically and expand the economy of the world's apex oil exporter. Many Saudis have expressed joy at the end of the cinema ban, sharing admiration and pictures of Prince Mohammed.

Worth mention here a red carpet invitation in which senior government officials, foreign dignitaries and select industry figures invited to watch gala event attracted Marvel's superhero movie "Black Panther" on a 45-foot screen at a renewed symphony concert hall in Riyadh.

Tickets kept on sale on Thursday for the first public screening on Friday, as per the Adam Aron, chief executive of operator AMC Entertainment Holdings.

The aroma of buttery popcorn filled the air as confetti down poured through the multi-storey entrance hall where Aron and Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Awwad al-Awwad declared the launch and proceeded into the 450-seat hall.

The 32-year-old prince has already eased limitations in the last two years, in which public concerts, women driving and genders mixing are major decisions.

It is noted that the kingdom held it’s first-ever fashion show last week with a women-only audience.