Anthony Mackie's "Desert Warrior" Trailer Is Here

Vertical have unveiled the official trailer for Saudi Arabia’s first Hollywood-style tentpole movie "Desert Warrior."

The film will hit U.S. screens on April 24, five years after the production was first unveiled.

The period action epic with a hefty $150 million budget is helmed by British director Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”) and features a top notch international cast led by “Captain America” star Anthony Mackie, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Aiysha Hart (“Mogul Mowgli,” “Colette”).

Shot in 2021 in a scenic desert area around the site of the futuristic city of NEOM “Desert Warrior,” which is set in a pre-Islamic 7th-century Arabia when Saudi Arabia was made up of rival, feuding tribes forever at each other’s throats, has since been caught in a seemingly endless tempest of reshoots, recuts, and infighting.

In the epic, Mackie (Elevation) stars as a seventh century legendary bandit who comes to the rescue of Princess Hind (Hart) after she refuses to become a concubine to the ruthless Emperor Kisra (Sir Kingsley) and flees into the desert with her father, where she is hunted by a merciless army.

There, rising from fugitive to fearless warrior, the princess unites warring tribes for a final stand in the Battle of Dhi Qar, a clash that will change history forever.

“Desert Warrior,” which is produced by Saudi-owned powerhouse MBC Studios with U.S. producer Jeremy Bolt (“Resident Evil”) has been touted as a testament to Saudi Arabia’s ambition to produce high-end content for global audiences.

Mired in post-production for more than three years, with Wyatt temporarily exiting the project, "Desert Warrior" world premiered at the Zurich Film Festival last autumn and then played at the Red Sea Film Festival in December.

The blockbuster is supported by the Saudi Film Commission through the country’s cash rebate which supports both Saudi and international film productions, and by the so-called Quality of Life program that contributes to fostering the future of Saudi’s film industry.

While the film’s production struggles have come under scrutiny, the trailer gives a taste to Saudi Arabia’s stunning backdrops as well as its cinema ambitions.

It is produced by MBC Studios, Jeremy Bolt, and Rasha AIEmam. Vertical has U.S. and UK rights.