Vertical’s Middle East Western Desert Warrior starring Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart and Ben Kingsley rides into 1,010 theaters this frame — the end of a long journey to screens for the $150 million project first announced in 2021.
Co-written and directed by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and shot over four years in Saudi Arabia, it premiered at the Zurich Film Festival. Deadline review here.
Defying a ruthless emperor (Kingsley), Princess Hind (Hart) flees into the Arabian desert, hunted by mercenaries led by Jalabzeen (Sharlto Copley). Forged into a warrior and aided by a legendary bandit (Mackie), she unites warring tribes for a last stand. Vertical touted the dramatic locations, 12,500 extras, and abundant horses and camels made available with substantial support from Neom, the massive Saudi development with sound stages and infrastructure created by the film’s backer MBC Studios.
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