Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Saudi Arabia government has engaged legendary Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer to create a new arrangement of its national anthem, as part of the kingdom’s broader cultural and entertainment ambitions.

Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, shared an image on X of his meeting with Zimmer, stating that they discussed several future projects, including “rearranging the Saudi national anthem with different instruments.”

Zimmer, known for his iconic film scores for ‘The Lion King’, ‘Gladiator’, and ‘Dune’, has reportedly agreed to the broad outlines of the project, though a final agreement is yet to be reached.

Alalshikh also revealed plans for a major concert in Riyadh Season and a new musical piece titled ‘Arabia’, inspired by Saudi culture. Additionally, discussions included the possibility of Zimmer composing the soundtrack for ‘The Battle of Yarmouk (Khalid bin Al-Walid)’, a historical film currently in development.

The kingdom’s national anthem, ‘Aash Al-Malik’ (Long Live The King), was composed in 1947 by an Egyptian musician at the request of Saudi Arabia’s founding monarch, King Abdulaziz. It remains unclear why authorities are considering a rework, but the move aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to modernise the country’s global image and expand its cultural footprint.