France and Saudi Arabia to Build $7 Billion Dragon Ball Z Theme Park Outside Paris
France and Saudi Arabia have announced a major joint venture to construct a $7 billion Dragon Ball Z-themed amusement park near Paris, according to an announcement from the Élysée Palace on August 23. The collaboration stems from a 2025 meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which the two leaders discovered they shared a passion for Akira Toriyama’s iconic anime franchise.
The theme park will be built northwest of the capital near Cergy-Pontoise and is expected to generate approximately 22,000 jobs. Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya, an entertainment and investment group, will finance the €6 billion project. Notably, Qiddiya is simultaneously overseeing the construction of another Dragon Ball-themed park in Qiddiya City, expanding the franchise’s international presence across Europe and the Middle East.
This international partnership represents an unusual convergence of geopolitical interests and popular culture, with both nations viewing the project as a significant investment in entertainment infrastructure and economic development. The project underscores the growing influence of anime and manga in mainstream entertainment and the continued commercial value of long-running franchises like Dragon Ball Z.