Anthony Mackie’s new historical action epic has officially made its streaming debut on Hulu. Directed by Rupert Wyatt, the seventh-century Arabian adventure stars Mackie as legendary bandit Hanzala, who joins forces with a fugitive princess to take down a ruthless emperor.
Desert Warrior premiered at the 2025 Zurich Film Festival before hitting theaters on April 24, 2026. The film made just $759,228 against its massive $150 million budget, failing to make an impact on viewers and currently holding a 26% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What to know about Anthony Mackie’s role in Desert Warrior
Mackie stars as Hanzala, a legendary bandit whose life changes when he meets Princess Hind, played by Aiysha Hart. After Hind refuses to submit to Emperor Kisra, she flees into the desert as his forces hunt her down. Kisra is a ruthless ruler determined to eliminate those who challenge his authority.
Hanzala becomes an unlikely ally of the fugitive princess as she attempts to unite different tribes against Kisra. They work together to build an alliance strong enough to fight Kisra and his powerful army. Their struggle eventually leads to the Battle of Dhi Qar, which serves as a major event in the film’s storyline.
Alongside Mackie and Hart, Desert Warrior stars Oscar winner Ben Kingsley as Emperor Kisra, with Sharlto Copley, Ghassan Massoud, Sami Bouajila, and Lamis Ammar rounding out the supporting cast. Produced by Jeremy Bolt, the historical epic stands as one of the most ambitious and expensive productions ever filmed in Saudi Arabia.
While the film stumbled at the box office, its arrival on Hulu gives the big-budget epic a fresh opportunity to connect with more viewers. Though critics took issue with the film’s pacing and narrative structure, the feature earned praise for its impressive visuals, scale, and desert sets.
Desert Warrior is available to stream on Hulu starting today.
This article was originally reported by Isha Sharma on ComingSoon.
