Saudi Arabia asks Oscar-winning musician Hans Zimmer to rework national anthem as part of image makeover

Saudi Arabia has tapped Hans Zimmer to revamp its national anthem, "Aash Al-Malik", as part of its economic diversification and image overhaul efforts.

Saudi Arabia is embarking on an ambitious revamp, and its latest move is to give its national anthem a makeover. The country has tapped Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer to work on a new version of "Aash Al-Malik" ("Long Live The King"), which was originally written in 1947 by Egyptian composer Abdul Rahman Al-Khateeb.

According to General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh, Zimmer, known for his iconic film scores in "The Lion King", "Dune", and "The Dark Knight" trilogy, has agreed to the "broad outlines" of the project. He spoke about the collaboration on X, stating that they discussed various future projects, including rearranging the national anthem with different instruments.

But that's not all - Zimmer is also set to work on a Saudi-inspired musical called "Arabia", a large concert, and the soundtrack for "The Battle of Yarmuk", a forthcoming Saudi film. Alalshikh expressed his hopes for a final agreement on these projects soon.

Saudi Arabia's push for a new image comes as the country tries to diversify its economy away from oil. The kingdom has made significant strides in recent years, reopening cinemas, allowing women to drive, and admitting non-Muslim tourists for the first time in 2018.

However, activists argue that the authorities' efforts to upgrade their image are an attempt to cover their unchanged hardline policies and high execution figures.

As part of its revamp, Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in mega-projects like NEOM, a futuristic city in the desert costing $500 billion. The country is also hosting various cultural and sporting events, including concerts by foreign musicians, football matches, WWE events and heavyweight boxing matches.