"Principal photography for Desert Warrior was completed in 2021, but post-production dragged on for several more years, as executive shakeups led to 'creative differences' that caused Wyatt to exit (and later re-join) the film."
"In 2025, Wyatt made his only public comment on the matter, telling, 'there was a desire to start to change the movie. And it wasn't really the movie that I had set out to make, nor had I shot. So I resisted, and I was sidelined. I was sidelined for a good period.'"
Desert Warrior, starring Anthony Mackie, is on track to become a major box-office failure, grossing only $487,848 in its opening weekend. With a budget of $150 million, it recorded the worst opening for a wide-release film in 2026. Production faced numerous challenges, including infrastructure issues in Saudi Arabia and prolonged post-production due to creative differences that led to director Rupert Wyatt's temporary exit. Wyatt expressed concerns about changes to the film that deviated from his original vision.
Read at Inverse
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