Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart to Lead Saudi-Backed Period Epic ‘Desert Warrior’ From Rupert Wyatt

Saudi Arabia is stretching its filmmaking arms into Hollywood once more.

Having already come aboard to finance the Gerard Butler action-thriller Kandahar, MBC Studios, the production arm of the Saudi government-controlled regional broadcasting giant MBC, is now set to produce the historical epic Desert Warrior from Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Mosquito Coast), marking its biggest production to date.

Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker, Avengers: Endgame) and Aiysha Hart (Mogul Mowgli, Colette) are leading the picture, which sees MBC Studios partner with fellow producers U.S.-based JB Pictures and AGC Studios. Joining them are Sharlto Copley (District 9), Ghassan Massoud (Kingdom of Heaven), Sami Bouajila (Hors-la-loi), Lamis Ammar (Sand Storm), Géza Röhrig (Son of Saul) and Oscar winner winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi).

Related Stories

Movies

How a 'Pooh' Slasher Flick May Have Tipped Hong Kong Towards Greater Beijing Censorship

TV

Series Mania 2023: Michael Sheen, Margot Bancilhon Take Top Acting Prizes

Principal photography has already begun on the film in the Neom and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

Wyatt directs from a screenplay he co-penned with Erica Beeney (Captive State), David Self (The Road to Perdition) and Oscar nominee Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, The Hunger Games). Desert Warrior is set in the early seventh century, when Arabia was made up of rival, feuding tribes, disunited and forever at each other’s throats. Emperor Kisra (Kingsley) has a fearsome reputation for being utterly ruthless. But when the Arabian Princess Hind (Hart) refuses to become Kisra’s concubine, the stage is set for an epic confrontation. It is a battle that, by its conclusion, will have changed the region forever and echo throughout history.

Jeremy Bolt (Resident Evil franchise, Monster Hunter, Polar) of JB Pictures produces.

“Desert Warrior is a tale of adventure, with a fierce female hero at the forefront of the story. We hope the story will connect with audiences of all ages worldwide. Rupert Wyatt is a visionary filmmaker, and Jeremy Bolt has already proven his mettle in steering this epic project into production,” said Zeinab Abu Alsamh, General Manager of MBC Studios KSA.

“The cast is a dream come true — a mix of Arab and non-Arab talent coming together to create an unforgettable movie and highlighting the rich culture we have here. This is the beginning of having Saudi be a production hub for local and global films.”

AGC International, the international sales and distribution arm of AGC Studios, will handle worldwide sales.

Anthony Mackie is represented by UTA and Inspire Entertainment. Aiysha Hart is represented by Curtis Brown and 42. Rupert Wyatt is represented by UTA.