French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have committed to building a 6-billion-euro ($7 billion) theme park complex in the north of Paris, according to an announcement made Monday.
The project will include three amusement parks, with one based on the popular Japanese anime series Dragon Ball Z. Macron touted the development as a landmark investment for France, saying in a post on X that “nothing like this has been seen since Disneyland Paris.” He added that the project is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs.
The announcement follows a two-day state visit to France by the Saudi Crown Prince. The two leaders reportedly discussed their shared interest in animated comics, with Macron expressing his “passion for manga” and his “determination to attract investments into France.”
Macron has made foreign investment a centerpiece of his economic agenda through his “Choose France” summits. In June, he announced that companies from around the globe had pledged $108 billion in investments across 71 projects. In Monday’s post, Macron framed the theme park as an extension of that initiative, saying: “This is the very essence of Choose France: to seek out the most ambitious projects and make France the country where they become reality. To create jobs. To make France shine.”
Dragon Ball Z’s global appeal
Dragon Ball Z, which began as a Japanese anime series in the 1980s, has become a global cultural phenomenon, particularly popular in the United States. The brand has expanded into films, video games, and merchandise, making it a natural fit for a theme park attraction.
France is not alone in courting theme park investment. Earlier in the year, Comcast pledged more than $8 billion to develop Europe’s first Universal resort in the U.K., located about 45 minutes outside London. That project is expected to feature immersive lands, a 500-room hotel, and an entertainment complex.
The Walt Disney Company is also in the midst of a massive expansion, having announced plans in 2023 to invest $60 billion in its experiences segment, which includes theme parks, cruise ships, and consumer products. Of that total, $30 billion is earmarked for its domestic parks, Disney World and Disneyland.
However, not all theme park ventures have been immediate successes. The Guardian reported in June that Disney has still not recouped its $4.2 billion investment in Disneyland Paris after more than 30 years, a reminder of the challenges facing major park developments in Europe.
The Dragon Ball Z theme park project is expected to bring significant economic activity to the Paris region, though details on the timeline and specific locations have yet to be released.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/25/dragon-ball-z-theme-park-france-paris.html
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