Action movies are never out of favor in Hollywood, and a new epic historical action movie is finally about to get its chance to shine almost three years after it was announced.Desert Warrioris a movie that has a lot to prove as, despite its British director and all-star cast includingAnthony MackieandBen Kingsley, the film is actually one of the biggest movies produced by Saudi Arabia’s MBC Studios and comes with a hefty $150 million budget attached to it.
Filmed near Saudi’s futuristic city of NEOM, the movie was announced as a huge step forward for the country’s film industry, and laid out their big ambitions for the expansion of Saudi film production onto an international stage. However, like so many movies,Desert Warriorhas not had a smooth journey through production, including the loss and reinstating of director Rupert Wyatt on the project.
Speaking toVarietyat the Marrakech Film Festival last week, producer Stuart Ford explained the director’s reboarding and laid out a path that suggests the movie will be completed early in 2025. He shared:
“Rupert re-boarded the film in the early fall, and it will be finished during the first quarter of next year. I’d like to think I was instrumental in helping them get to that decision, because they were definitely at something of a crossroads six, seven months ago. I am genuinely excited about seeing his [Wyatt’s] cut in two weeks in New York City. I think giving him the opportunity to finish what he started was absolutely the right thing for MBC to do.”
What is Desert Warrior About?
Pitched as a historical epic set in pre-Islamic Arabia,Desert Warrioris a movie centered on Hind, played by Aiysha Hart, an Arabian princess who rejects the advances of the ruthless Emperor Kisra (Kingsley) and escapes into the desert where she joins forces with Mackie’s Bandit. Together, the pair attempt to unite rival tribes in order to take on the might of Kisra’s army.
The scale of the project reportedly became much bigger than anyone originally anticipated, which seemingly led to the temporary dismissal of Wyatt, but Ford made it clear that he doesn’t believe the production problems should have any impact on the final film, and he believes it will have a strong chance to thrill audiences soon. He added:
“And, although it definitely went off on a tangent at one stage, no one should judge the film based on what happened there. The film will be judged on what it is as a finished film, not on the post-production schedule.”
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Of course, despite being a Saudi Arabian production, on the surface, the film has the star power of Mackie and Kingsley. Both actors have been incredibly successful in their careers, not least for prominent roles in the MCU that both will continue in very soon.Mackie is about to make his return as Captain AmericainCaptain America: Brave New Worldin February 2025, andKingsley is set to reprise his controversial role as Trevor Slatteryin the Disney+ series,Wonder Man. While there has been no release window announced forDesert Warrior, it is expected to appear on the film festival circuit late in 2025.
