It looks like Anthony Mackie is hanging up his Captain America shield for a bit to take audiences all the way back to the seventh century. Deadline reports that the Marvel star has joined the cast of Desert Warrior, a pre-Islamic epic currently in production in Neom and Tabuk in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mackie joins a star-studded cast that also includes Aiysha Hart, Sharlto Copley, Ghassan Massoud, Sami Bouajila, Lamis Ammar, Géza Röhrig, and Sir Ben Kingsley, as part of the first film to ever be shot in Neom.
Directed by Rupert Wyatt, Desert Warrior is set in a period of time when Arabia was made up of nothing more than feuding tribes, no nations or rules in sight except for the fearsome Emperor Kisra (Kingsley). When a young princess (Hart) refuses to be subservient to Kisra, a battle erupts in such a way that changes the region forever, trusting only her father (Massound) and a mysterious bandit (Mackie), whose skill is second to none but who harbors his own secrets, which may decide the fate of himself and the royals he swears to protect.
The project is Mackie’s first major film role since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Disney+ series that set him up as the next Captain America, cementing the star into the hearts of the American public. Wyatt co-wrote the film’s script with Erica Beeney, David Self, and Gary Ross, which is produced by MBC Studios, JB Pictures, and AGC Studios.
“[This film] is testament to our ambition towards producing premium content for global audiences,” said MBC Studios KSA General Manager Zeinab Abu Alsamh.
“Desert Warrior is a tale of adventure, with a fierce female hero at the forefront of the story. We hope the story will connect with audiences of all ages worldwide. Rupert Wyatt is a visionary filmmaker, and Jeremy Bolt has already proven his mettle in steering this epic project into production. The cast is a dream come true…A mix of Arab and non-Arab talent coming together to create an unforgettable movie and highlighting the rich culture we have here. This is the beginning of having Saudi be a production hub for local and global films.”
Production on Desert Warrior is set to continue for several months, though no release date has been announced.
via Collider