AceShowbiz - The Saudi Arabian epic Desert Warrior, featuring Anthony Mackie and Oscar winner Ben Kingsley, has struggled significantly at the box office since its recent release. After a lengthy five-year production journey, the film finally premiered last weekend across theaters in the U.S. and the Middle East.

Produced in partnership with Riyadh media giant MBC Group and acquired by Vertical, Desert Warrior was expected to be a major success for Saudi cinema. However, the movie’s initial financial returns have been underwhelming, sparking headlines about its poor performance. As of Thursday, the film had grossed just $596,000 in the U.S. market from 1,010 screens. This disappointing figure has led to it being labeled as one of the most notable box office flops in recent history.

The movie’s release was highly anticipated, given the star power of Anthony Mackie, known for his role as Captain America, alongside Ben Kingsley. Despite this, Desert Warrior was unable to attract a large audience, raising questions about the film’s marketing and reception.

While the film's performance is a setback for Saudi Arabia's growing film industry, it highlights the challenges faced by international productions in breaking into the competitive U.S. box office. The journey of Desert Warrior reflects the complexities involved in producing and distributing epic films on a global scale.