The Abu Dhabi developer Miral has announced plans to open a $1 billion Warner Bros. theme park on Yas Island in 2018.
The construction of the first phase of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is already underway and rides are in production, the government-owned company said.
The theme park will include attractions from Warner’s portfolio of DC Comics characters like Batman and Superman, and from its cartoons like Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera.
The development, which will also include a Warner Bros. branded hotel, is expected to create 1000 jobs in the UAE capital.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is expected to take Yas Island’s annual visitor tally from 25 million in 2015 to 30 million in 2018.
“It is incredibly exciting to announce that we are bringing the iconic Warner Bros. brand to Yas Island. Miral’s investment in the Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi theme park is estimated at 1 billion dollars and is a milestone in the emirate’s journey to put Abu Dhabi on the global map and become one of the world’s leading tourist destinations,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Miral.
Kevin Tsujihara, Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment, said: “Warner Bros. has been entertaining audiences for more than 90 years with the world’s most-loved characters and franchises. Working with our partners at Miral, we’ll bring this expertise to Yas Island, one of the world’s leading entertainment destinations, to create a fully-interactive, innovative and unique experience that will allow fans of all ages to experience the most exciting aspects of Warner Bros. in a completely immersive environment.”