France Is Building a $7 Billion Dragon Ball Z Theme Park — And Yes, Macron Is a Fan

French President Emmanuel Macron just dropped one of the wildest announcements in anime history: a massive $7 billion Dragon Ball Z theme park is coming to the north of Paris. And it is not a drill — this is real, it is funded, and it involves Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Nothing like this has been seen since Disneyland Paris,” Macron declared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, August 25, 2026. The announcement sent the entire anime community into a frenzy, and honestly, who can blame them?

The Deal: What We Know So Far

The project was confirmed during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s official two-day state visit to France, where he met Macron at the Élysée Palace. The centerpiece is a 6-billion-euro ($7 billion) theme park complex featuring three separate amusement parks — one of which is dedicated entirely to Dragon Ball Z, the legendary manga and anime series created by the late Akira Toriyama.

According to the official announcement, the park will be located in the northern suburbs of Paris and is expected to create over 20,000 new jobs. It is being described as the biggest anime-inspired theme park investment in European history.

“This is the very essence of Choose France: to seek out the most ambitious projects and make France the country where they become reality,” Macron said in Google-translated comments on X.

Why Dragon Ball Z?

The choice of Dragon Ball Z is not random. Both Macron and Mohammed bin Salman share a genuine love for the franchise — a detail that is both hilarious and oddly wholesome. During their meeting, Macron reportedly shared his “passion for manga” and discussed how anime culture can drive economic growth.

Dragon Ball Z, which first aired in 1989 under creator Akira Toriyama, is one of the most successful anime franchises of all time. The series follows Son Goku as he trains and battles increasingly powerful enemies to protect Earth. It has expanded into films, video games, merchandise, and now — apparently — a 6-billion-euro theme park in France.

Dragon Ball Z is especially popular in France, where it was broadcast on TF1’s Club Dorothée block in the 1990s and became a cultural phenomenon. A generation of French kids grew up screaming “Kamehameha!” on the playground, and now their president is turning that nostalgia into a national investment.

Three Parks, One Vision

The full complex will include three distinct theme parks, with the Dragon Ball Z park as the flagship. While details about the other two parks have not yet been revealed, the Saudi investment is expected to include entertainment infrastructure, hotels, and a full tourist district.

This move comes as France ramps up its competition for global theme park dominance. Just recently, Comcast (the parent company of Universal) committed over $8 billion to build Europe’s first Universal resort near London, expected to open in 2031. Macron clearly does not want to be left behind — and what better way to outdo a Universal park than with Dragon Ball Z?

The Internet Reacts

As soon as the announcement went live, social media exploded. Anime fans worldwide began sharing memes, concept art, and breathless speculation about what the park might actually look like. Will there be a Hyperbolic Time Chamber? Can you fly a Nimbus cloud? Is Capsule Corp a real building you can walk into?

Among the trending reactions, one X user posted: “Macron really said ‘I will be the strongest president’ and built a Dragon Ball Z theme park. This man understood the assignment.”

Dragon Ball Z voice actress Monica Rial, known for voicing Bulma in the English dub, also weighed in, calling the announcement “the most anime thing a world leader has ever done.”

What This Means for Anime in Europe

The park signals a broader trend: anime and manga are no longer niche interests — they are economic powerhouses. France has long been one of the largest manga markets outside of Japan, with annual sales exceeding €600 million. The country hosted the 2020 Japan Expo in Paris, attracting over 250,000 visitors, and has become a hub for anime conventions.

Toriyama, who passed away in March 2024, created Dragon Ball and inspired generations of artists worldwide. This park stands as one of the most ambitious tributes to his legacy — a physical space where fans can step into the world he imagined.

When Will It Open?

No official opening date has been announced yet, but industry analysts expect construction to begin within the next 18 months, with a potential opening window between 2030 and 2032. Given the scale of the project and the political goodwill behind it, the timeline could accelerate.

For now, fans can dream of walking through West City, sparring at the Tournament of Power arena, and maybe — just maybe — witnessing a Super Saiyan transformation in person.

What Do You Think?

Is this the most exciting theme park announcement you have ever heard, or is it all hype? Would you travel to Paris just to visit a Dragon Ball Z park? And which anime franchise deserves its own theme park next — Naruto? One Piece? Attack on Titan?

Drop your thoughts in the comments below — we want to hear from you.