Anthony Mackie's new film, Desert Warrior, has achieved the dubious distinction of becoming one of the biggest box office flops in cinema history. While the Michael Jackson biopic is breaking records on its opening weekend, Desert Warrior has faced a disastrous debut.
A Costly Production
The film, a period epic set in seventh-century Arabia, endured a fraught production period of nearly five years, with its budget swelling to a reported $150 million (£111 million). However, after its US opening last Friday, it managed to scrape together just $472,000 (£349,504) despite being released in over 1,000 American cinemas.
Plot and Cast
Desert Warrior features a star-studded cast including Sir Ben Kingsley, Sharlto Copley, and Line of Duty actress Aiysha Hart. The story follows Princess Hind (Hart) as she teams up with a legendary bandit, played by Mackie, to confront Emperor Kisra (Kingsley) after he attempts to make her his concubine. The movie culminates in the historic Battle of Dhu Kar, which has been compared to the Pelennor Fields confrontation in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Saudi Arabia's Most Expensive Film
Produced by MBC Studios, an offshoot of Saudi Arabia's largest broadcaster, Desert Warrior was designed to showcase the country's state-of-the-art filming facilities. It was shot in Saudi Arabia from September 2021 to February 2022 and is the most expensive movie ever produced in the country.
Box Office Disaster
According to Collider, the film's per-theatre average of $483 (£357.48) is lower than that of 2015's Jem and the Holograms and Rock the Kasbah, two of the lowest-grossing wide releases of all time. Jem and the Holograms had a per-theatre average of $570 (£421.87) and was considered the worst opening for a film released by a major studio.
Other notable box office bombs include The Adventures of Pluto Nash starring Eddie Murphy, which made only $7.1 million worldwide on a $100 million budget. While Desert Warrior has yet to release fully internationally, its home country audience may help it earn significantly more.
Production Issues
The film was directed and co-written by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), who quit during editing due to creative differences before eventually returning. The film debuted with little fanfare from producers or press attention.
Critical Reception
Desert Warrior currently holds a poor 25% score on Rotten Tomatoes from just 16 reviews. Critic Russ Simmons described it as: 'Desperately wants to be Lawrence of Arabia, but falls somewhat short.' Other critics called it 'a bland and vapid action adventure' and 'a mostly boring, mostly forgettable movie.' The Hollywood Reporter's Frank Scheck warned it is 'likely to be swept away as quickly as desert sands.'
However, audience reactions have been more positive, with a 62% score. One fan wrote: 'Sleeper hit, haven't seen anything on this movie. I enjoyed a lot. Action is top tier… although more elephant battling would have been nice.' Another added: 'I'm a sucker for a good period piece, and I've never seen a movie that takes place in 6th Century Arabia, so for me this was worthwhile.'
Desert Warrior is out now in the US, with no UK release date announced yet.
