Anthony Mackie’s ‘Desert Warrior’ Posts Historic Low Box Office Debut
*Anthony Mackie’s latest release, “Desert Warrior,” is making headlines for all the wrong reasons, delivering one of the most catastrophic box office openings in recent memory, MovieWeb reports. Backed by Saudi Arabia with a reported budget of $150 million, the historical action film opened in the U.S. on April 24 to just $487,000, a result […] The post Anthony Mackie’s ‘Desert Warrior’ Posts Historic Low Box Office Debut appeared first on EURweb | Black News, Culture, Entertainment & More.
Black News 
*Anthony Mackie’s latest release, “Desert Warrior,” is making headlines for all the wrong reasons, delivering one of the most catastrophic box office openings in recent memory, MovieWeb reports.
Backed by Saudi Arabia with a reported budget of $150 million, the historical action film opened in the U.S. on April 24 to just $487,000, a result that has stunned industry observers. That figure came within striking distance of the lowest domestic theatrical opening ever recorded — a distinction that belongs to “The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure” at $445,000.
The financial gap between cost and return places the film in severe trouble from the start. In general, studios typically need about twice a film’s production budget to break even, meaning “Desert Warrior” would have needed roughly $300 million in earnings to justify its costs. Instead, its debut weekend barely cleared half a million dollars. Projections now suggest “Desert Warrior” may conclude its entire theatrical run with around $1 million domestically. It is already being compared to notorious box office disasters such as Disney’s “John Carter,” which earned $284 million worldwide but still lost roughly $200 million.
“Desert Warrior” was years in the making. Filmed in Saudi Arabia in 2021, the project faced extended post-production delays and reported creative disputes with director Rupert Wyatt, per Deadline. Set in seventh-century Arabia, the film follows Mackie as a bandit drawn into conflict with the Persian-Sasanian Empire alongside Princess Hind, played by Aiyasha Hart. The cast also includes Ben Kingsley and Sharlto Copley.
Critical response has been largely negative, with the film holding a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews at the time of publication. Viewer sentiment has been somewhat kinder, with the film earning a 61% score on the Popcornmeter scale, based on just over 250 verified ratings.
With weak reviews and limited promotional momentum, the film’s prospects appear slim, leaving its long-term audience reach uncertain beyond theaters.
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