From Shrek to Mohamed Ramadan: The UAE's huge Eid cinema lineup

Dubai: From Hollywood blockbusters to regional epics, this is the most stacked cinema holiday in years.

Eid Al Adha falls at the end of May this year, and UAE cinemas are pulling out all the stops. Whether you are looking for a big-budget action film, a family classic, a Bollywood romance or a zombie thriller set during the holidays themselves, there is genuinely something for everyone. Here is everything hitting screens from 21 to 31 May.

Asad (21 May) 

Language: Arabic

Genre: Historical action epic

Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Razane Jammal, Ali Qassem

Egyptian megastar Mohamed Ramadan makes his long-awaited return in this high-budget historical epic set in 19th-century Egypt. The story follows a resilient slave whose forbidden romance with a free woman ignites a violent confrontation with the ruling elite, ultimately evolving into a full-scale revolt against the institution of slavery. Sweeping, dramatic and built for the big screen.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (21 May) 

Language: English

Genre: Sci-fi action adventure

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White

The beloved Disney+ series makes its leap to cinemas in what is shaping up to be the biggest Hollywood draw of the holiday. Pedro Pascal returns as Din Djarin, now a formal New Republic operative tasked with protecting Grogu while hunting the remnants of the Imperial Shadow Council. Available in IMAX 3D.

Drishyam 3 (21 May) 

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Crime thriller

Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Asha Sharath

Mohanlal returns as Georgekutty in the third chapter of South India's most celebrated crime-thriller franchise. Years after covering up the events of the previous film, a new piece of forensic evidence reopens the investigation and forces Georgekutty into an even more intricate psychological battle to keep his family safe. Essential viewing for fans of the series and a major draw for UAE's South Asian community.

Chand Mera Dil (21 May) 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Romantic drama

Starring: Ananya Panday, Lakshya

Produced by Dharma Productions, this Bollywood romance tracks two college sweethearts as their relationship slowly crumbles under the weight of competing ambitions, family expectations and the harsh realities of adult life. A grounded, emotionally driven character study for anyone in the mood for something quieter between the blockbusters.

The Drama (21 May) 

Language: English

Genre: Psychological thriller

Starring: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson lead this dark psychological thriller about a couple whose relationship unravels just days before their wedding as buried secrets and hidden identities begin to surface. What starts as a romance quickly turns into a high-stakes game of emotional manipulation. The star power alone makes this one of the most anticipated English-language releases of the holiday.

Shrek: 25th Anniversary Re-Release (21 May) 

Language: English

Genre: Animated family comedy

Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz

The beloved animated classic returns to UAE cinemas in a remastered format, following Shrek and Donkey on their mission to rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon-guarded tower. Perfect for families with young children and anyone feeling nostalgic for early 2000s cinema gold.

Ibn Meen Fehom (26 May) 

Language: Arabic

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Laila Eloui, Bayoumi Fouad

Egypt's premier holiday comedy offering follows two families who discover, years later, that a hospital clerical error mixed up their newborn children. The legal and emotional chaos that follows makes for a reliably crowd-pleasing watch, particularly for families looking for something light and funny over the break.

7 Dogs (27 May) 

Language: Arabic and English

Genre: Action thriller

Starring: Karim Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Ezz

Karim Abdel Aziz and Ahmed Ezz, two of the Arab world's biggest box office names, team up for this Egyptian-Saudi action blockbuster. An elite Interpol officer and a dangerous cartel lieutenant are forced into an uneasy alliance to dismantle a global drug network flooding the Middle East with a lethal new narcotic. Think globetrotting action across Riyadh, Mumbai and Shanghai.

Zombeid (27 May) 

Language: Urdu

Genre: Horror comedy

Starring: Fahad Mustafa, Mehwish Hayat

Pakistan's first big-budget zombie thriller is set during Eid Al Adha itself. When a biological outbreak turns the celebrating public into flesh-eating zombies, two ordinary people find themselves trapped in the center of a collapsing city with no backup and no way out. Heavily marketed and genuinely novel, this one has been generating serious curiosity across the region.

Khan Tumhara (27 May)

Language: Urdu

Genre: Action drama

Starring: Bilal Ashraf, Maya Ali

A gritty Karachi-set action drama following a taxi driver who witnesses a brutal mob crime and refuses to stay silent. When the syndicate turns on his family, he wages a solo guerrilla war through the city's alleyways and black markets. Raw, local and built on real stakes.

Tickets will be available through VOX Cinemas, Reel Cinemas and Roxy Cinemas.