‘DESERT WARRIOR’ is tracking to be one of the biggest box office flops of all time.
The Saudi Arabia-funded film has earned $488K so far on a $150M budget.
— DiscussingFilm (@discussingfilm.net) April 29, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Starring Captain America’s Anthony Mackie and Oscar winner Ben Kingsley, Desert Warrior endured a troubled five-year trek to the screen, the director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes ) left and then returned, lots of delays and pick up shoot in Saudi. Deadline says the movie was “set up” by a Saudi-based media company, MBC Group. They considered delaying the release after Donald Trump bombed Iran, but they decided they didn’t want the 5-year-old albatross hanging around. The first edit tested poorly in 2023, and it currently sits at 29% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Synopsis
Set in seventh-century Arabia, amongst the constant feuding between tribes, the ruthless Emperor Kisra wishes to make Princess Hind his concubine. However, she refuses and instead, with the help of a legendary bandit, looks to confront the Emperor, culminating in the Battle of Ze Qar.
Trailer
I’m old enough to remember when the biggest box office flop was ‘XXZYX Road ‘starring Katherine Heigl.
