Malik Nejer | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1985-02-04) 4 February 1985 Dawadmi, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Notable work | Masameer |
Malik Nejer (born 4 February 1985) is a Saudi animator, writer, voice actor, and director. He is best known as the creator of the Saudi animated web series Masameer. He is also a co-founder of Myrkott Animation Studio and Sirb Productions.123
Early life
Nejer was born on 4 February 1985 in Dawadmi, Saudi Arabia. As a child, he developed an interest in international cartoons.1 He later moved to Riyadh to study law at King Saud University, but dropped out and began working for an advertising agency.1
Career
In 2007, Nejer began posting animated videos on YouTube. His video The Real Reason Behind the Jeddah Disaster went viral and by 2011 his channel had become the No. 4 subscribed on YouTube in Saudi Arabia.21 Following that success, MBC invited him to produce animated shorts for television commercial breaks.1
Nejer later co-founded Myrkott Animation Studio, which became known for producing the animated web series Masameer. The series gained a substantial online following for its satirical portrayal of Saudi society and everyday life.2
In 2020, Nejer co-wrote and directed Masameer: The Movie, a feature-length adaptation of the web series released in theaters.3 The following year, Netflix released Masameer County, an animated television series based on the franchise.4
Writing for the Middle East Institute, historian Sean Foley described Masameer County as reflective of broader social and cultural changes taking place in Saudi Arabia, noting that the series used satire to examine issues affecting Saudi society.4
In 2023, Nejer directed Head to Head, his first live-action feature film.56 The film was released by Netflix and was described by Esquire Middle East as helping establish a new quality benchmark for Saudi filmmaking.7
Nejer and the Masameer franchise have been cited as part of a broader transformation in Saudi entertainment and media production during the 2010s and 2020s.8
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Actor | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Masameer: The Movie | Yes | Yes | Yes | Trad, Saad, Saltooh, Dr. Adel, Dr. Nafea, Hizam, The Pixel | 9 |
| 2023 | Head to Head | Yes | No | No | N/a | Live action film56 |
| 2025 | Masameer Junior | Yes | Yes | Yes | Trad, Saad, Saltooh, Dr. Adel, Dr. Nafea, Hizam, Abdullah | Co-writers10 |
Television
| Year | Title | Creator | Director | Writer | Actor | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–2023 | Masameer County | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Trad, Saad, Saltooh, Dr. Adel, Dr. Nafea, Hizam, Aqeel, Abdullah | |
| 2026 | Alkhallat+: The Series | No | No | No | Yes | Abu Mutlaq | Episode: "Death Road"11 |
Web
| Year | Title | Creator | Director | Writer | Actor | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2019 | Masameer | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Aqeel, Trad, Saad, Saltooh, Dr. Adel, Dr. Nafea, Hizam, The Pixel, Blue Cat, Abdullah | |
| 2013–2016 | Sanbar | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Narrator | |
| 2013 | Society Awearness | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | The Pixel | |
| 2016–2017 | Awra and Laffa | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Awra, Laffa, Abdullah | |
| 2018–2019 | Yarob | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | N/a | |
| 2025–present | Shaklait | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/a |
References
References
- Murphy, Caryle. "Portrait of a rebellious Saudi cartoonist". The National. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
- Saadi, Dania (2011-10-26). "Embracing Arab Animation". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-06-08. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
- Mullally, William (2023-03-16). "Meet Saudi animator Malik Nejer — the man behind 'Masameer County'". Arab News. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- Foley, Sean (2021-07-27). "All in the family: How an animated series reflects social change in Saudi Arabia". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- "Saudi Arabia's 'Masameer County' creators' first live-action feature original 'Ras B Ras' hits Netflix next month". Arab News. 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- "Saudi filmmaker Malik Nejer discusses his movie 'Head to Head' and his ambitions for future work". Arab News. 2023-08-03. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
- Zakaria, Abdulrahman (13 October 2023). "The success of 'Ras B Ras' sets a quality standard for Saudi filmmaking". Esquire Middle East. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- Petti, Matthew (2024-07-03). "Saudi Arabia Reportedly Sentences Netflix Comedian to 13 Years". Reason. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
- Wit, Alex Dudok de (2020-04-16). "A Hit Across The Arab World, 'Masameer: The Movie' Is Now On Netflix". Retrieved 2026-07-05.
- Goodfellow, Melanie (2024-02-01). "Netflix Unveils MENA 2024 Slate; Confirms New Seasons Of 'The Exchange', 'Dubai Bling' & Unveils Unscripted Dating Show 'Love Is Blind, Habibi'". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
- Goldbart, Max (2026-01-19). "'Love Is Blind: Habibi' Season 2 & TV Version Of 'AlKhallat+' Unveiled On Netflix MENA Slate". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-01-31.