Draft:Desert Warrior (upcoming film)

Desert Warrior is an upcoming film directed by Rupert Wyatt, who co-wrote the screenplay with Erica Beeney, David Self, and Gary Ross. The film stars Anthony Mackie and Aiysha Hart.

Premise
Arabia was full of disparate, feuding tribes in the seventh century, one of which was led by the merciless Emperor Kisra. After he comes across the Arabian Princess Hind, Kisra attempts to make her his concubine. Hind refuses, however, and escapes with an unknown warrior.

Cast

 * Anthony Mackie
 * Aiysha Hart as the Arabian Princess Hind
 * Sharlto Copley
 * Ghassan Massoud
 * Sami Bouajila
 * Lamis Ammar
 * Géza Röhrig
 * Ben Kingsley as Emperor Kisra

Production
Desert Warrior was announced in November 2021 as a film produced by JB Pictures and AGC Studios along with MBC Studios, the Saudi-backed production arm of MBC. It was written by Rupert Wyatt, Erica Beeney, David Self, and Gary Ross, with Wyatt directing the film as well. The cast includes Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Sharlto Copley, Ghassan Massoud, Sami Bouajila, Lamis Ammar, Géza Röhrig, and Ben Kingsley. It was one of the first major English-language film produced by MBC Studios, and it was the largest production to film in Saudi Arabia. MBC saw it as an anchor for the nascent film industry that was being established in the region, where key crewmembers were brought in for the project to effectively train and develop Saudi crews learning about the industry. The crew size was approximately 450–500 people each day.

Principal photography began in September 2021 in Neom, Saudi Arabia, and it was completed by February 2022. The film had a long post-production period, and it plans to seek buyers in the first quarter of 2024, targeting a film festival debut before a wide theatrical release.