Ten Days, Three Icons, One Bold Bet: Dhahran Mall Rewrites the Rules of Retail Entertainment

Rashad Iskandrni

·        The Eastern Province's leading retail and lifestyle destination partners with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and EventBox to stage a full theatrical production in Saudi Arabia, timed just ahead of Coyote vs. Acme's global cinema release.

DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia, August 23, 2026. Dhahran Mall has concluded a ten-day live entertainment experience that ranks among the most ambitious licensed IP activations staged in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province this year. “Team Looney Tunes: Get in the Game,” held from August 13 to 22, 2026, brought a full theatrical production and an interactive sports zone to the mall, drawing 288,002 visitors and lifting mall-wide traffic by 19.6% over the ten days, as part of a broader strategy to position Dhahran Mall as a leading destination for global-standard family entertainment in the Kingdom.

The pull was concentrated right at the show’s doorstep: entrances closest to the theater recorded footfall increases ranging from about 20% to 175%, evidence that families were making a special trip specifically for the characters.

The activation reflects a wider shift underway across Gulf retail, as shopping destinations increasingly turn to licensed entertainment content to deepen visitor engagement and diversify their appeal beyond traditional retail. By partnering directly with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, the division behind global live experiences built around some of the world's most recognized entertainment franchises, and production specialist EventBox, Dhahran Mall secured a full-scale theatrical production, complete with a professional cast, an original storyline, and three live performances daily, a level of production few malls in the region have hosted to date.

The program centered on a live theatrical performance in which Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck competed to coach “Team Looney Tunes,” with Lola Bunny later joining the competition. Shows ran three times daily, at 5:30 PM, 8:30 PM, and 10:30 PM. Alongside the performances, an interactive activity zone invited children to take on sports-inspired challenges across football, baseball, basketball, and boxing, along with photo opportunities with the characters, open daily from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Meet-and-greet moments with the characters were reserved each day for the first 20 families to present a same-day purchase receipt at each of the three shows; by the close of the ten days, 600 families had stepped on stage for a photo, each one having shopped at the mall to earn the spot.

The characters' Eastern Province debut also lands at a pivotal moment for the franchise: Coyote vs. Acme, the newest Looney Tunes theatrical release from Warner Bros., opens in cinemas worldwide on August 28, 2026, lending fresh cultural momentum to the characters featured throughout the mall's program. Online, the buzz was already building, with the campaign drawing more than 1.5 million views on Instagram over the ten days.

“Dhahran Mall’s strategy is built on strengthening our role as this community’s destination of choice for over 20 years, while becoming the reference for experience-led retail in the Eastern Province,” said Majed Algothmi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of RED Malls. “Investing in full-scale productions like this one is how we deepen that connection and compete for family time and loyalty in a fast-changing market. The results from this activation confirm that direction, and you will see us build further on it as our transformation continues.”

The event forms part of Dhahran Mall's 2026 family entertainment programme, an extension of the mall's promise to be the place “Where Your Heart Belongs” for Eastern Province families. It builds on the mall's ongoing transformation journey, as Dhahran Mall continues to expand and evolve its offering for the region's residents.

About Dhahran Mall

For more than 20 years, Dhahran Mall has been one of the Eastern Province's leading shopping and social destinations, serving the everyday needs of residents while hosting the moments that bring families together. The mall spans a gross leasable area of 102,087 square meters, with 315 stores and kiosks and 4,590 parking spaces, bringing together retail, dining, entertainment, and wellness under one roof. Dhahran Mall continues to evolve through its comprehensive transformation programme, Al Tajdeed, designed to deepen its role as a destination for connection and discovery.

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences leads the creation, development, and operation of live and interactive entertainment experiences inspired by some of the world's most iconic franchises and stories across Warner Bros.' film, television, animation, and games businesses, as well as HBO, Discovery, and Cartoon Network. Its global portfolio includes The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal theme parks, Warner Bros. Studio Tours, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, and experiences inspired by Friends and Game of Thrones. The division sits within Warner Bros. Discovery's Global Revenue and Strategy unit.

About EventBox

EventBox is a leading producer and developer of licensed live entertainment shows and experiences for theaters, festivals, and major shopping destinations worldwide. The company holds strategic partnerships with leading studios and intellectual property owners, including Warner Bros. Discovery, Universal Studios, DreamWorks, Peyo Company, Paramount, Hasbro, Smiley Company, SEGA, and Sesame Workshop.