Toei Animation Officially Shuts Down French President’s Dragon Ball Theme Park Dreams
Toei Animation has pushed back against claims that a Dragon Ball theme park has been confirmed for France, just days after French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman backed a huge new entertainment development near Paris.
Reports emerging from the announcement claimed that Dragon Ball would provide the theme for one of three major parks planned as part of the €6 billion project, although Toei has now stated that neither it nor the franchise’s other rights holders have authorized any such attraction.
Macron hosted Mohammed bin Salman during an official visit to France in late August, with the two leaders using the meeting to strengthen the strategic partnership between France and Saudi Arabia and announce a number of major investment projects.
Among them was a new Qiddiya Investment Company development planned for Cergy-Pontoise in the Île-de-France region northwest of Paris, which the French presidency says could include up to three major entertainment attractions alongside hotels and other leisure facilities.
The overall investment is expected to reach around €6 billion across the development cycle, with the Élysée also stating that the project could create approximately 22,000 jobs.
The announcement quickly attracted considerably more attention after Reuters reported that the development would include a Dragon Ball Z theme park, describing the project as part of the agreement reached between France and Saudi Arabia.
That report also connected the project to Macron and Mohammed bin Salman, whose governments had jointly announced the wider Qiddiya development during the Crown Prince’s visit.
However, the official joint statement issued by France and Saudi Arabia never actually identifies Dragon Ball, instead describing a multi-park destination with up to three major entertainment attractions without revealing which franchises or themes would be used.
Macron similarly publicized the agreement and the arrival of three large entertainment attractions near Paris without publicly naming Dragon Ball as one of them.
Toei Animation has now moved to directly address the resulting reports, stating that neither the company nor any of the other relevant rights holders have granted a license for a Dragon Ball theme park in France.
The company went even further by saying it is not aware of any facts supporting claims that such a project has been officially decided, effectively shutting down the Dragon Ball element of the story despite the wider French-Saudi development itself being genuine.
Toei also clarified that concept artwork and footage circulating alongside reports of the supposed French park have been taken from an entirely separate Dragon Ball development in Saudi Arabia.
Those images belong to the officially licensed Dragon Ball Theme Park currently planned for Qiddiya City near Riyadh, which Toei Animation and Qiddiya Investment Company jointly announced in March 2024.
Unlike the claims surrounding France, that project is supported by a long-term licensing partnership between Toei and Qiddiya and is still described by Qiddiya as the world’s only Dragon Ball theme park.
The enormous Saudi Arabian park is planned to cover more than 500,000 square meters across seven areas inspired by the seven Dragon Balls, with more than 30 rides and attractions based on locations and characters spanning the franchise.
Its centerpiece will be a 70-meter-tall Shenron structure containing a major roller coaster, while recreations of Kame House, Capsule Corporation and Beerus’ Planet are also planned alongside themed hotels and restaurants.
Toei’s intervention therefore creates an important distinction around the recent announcement involving Macron and Mohammed bin Salman: the €6 billion multi-park development near Paris is officially backed by France and Saudi Arabia, but Dragon Ball has not been officially attached to it.
Unless Toei Animation or another relevant rights holder subsequently announces a licensing agreement, the Saudi Arabian Qiddiya project remains the only officially confirmed Dragon Ball theme park.
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