President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans for a €6 billion Dragon Ball-themed amusement park near Paris, backed by Saudi Arabia and intended to rival Disneyland. The project faces an immediate obstacle because the Japanese companies and individuals controlling Dragon Ball’s rights reportedly have not approved it, putting its viability in doubt.

The park would be built about 45 minutes north-west of Paris and is linked to Qiddiya Investment Company, which is also developing a Dragon Ball attraction in Saudi Arabia. Dragon Ball rights are divided between Akira Toriyama’s Bird Studio, publisher Shueisha, Toei Animation, Bandai Namco and Capsule Corporation Tokyo, complicating any licensing deal following Toriyama’s death in March 2024; Saudi involvement has also prompted criticism over the country’s human-rights record.