‘Game Of Thrones’ Director To Kick Off Activity At Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya City-Based PlayMaker Studios With ‘Unbroken Sword’
Games of Thrones director Alik Sakharov is set to direct Saudi-backed production Unbroken Sword, an epic film about legendary Arab military commander Khalid ibn Al-Walid and the pivotal Battle of Yarmouk.
The production will officially kick off activity at Saudi Arabia’s newest film and TV production hub PlayMaker Studios, situated in Qiddiya City, the entertainment and tourism mega-project outside of Riyadh.
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The development is also home to the soon to be opened Six Flags amusement park, and will also be the site of a Formula One grade racetrack and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, which will be one of the main venues of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Both are currently under construction.
The working titled Unbroken Sword is backed by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Riyadh Season and produced by the film arm of entertainment and hospitality holding Sela.
The Saudi partners have a number of ambitious feature film productions on the boil including Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah’s 7 Dogs, which is in post-production. GEA chairman Turki Alalshikh has also recently announced an action thriller celebrating the activities of the country’s drugs squad to which Australian director Philip Noyce is attached.
The launch of PlayMaker Studios is regarded as a significant moment in Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a major film and TV hub in the MENA region, in the wake of its lifting of a 35-year cinema ban in 2017 as part of its wider 2030 Vision plan aimed at moving the economy away from a reliance on oil.
Sakharov, whose many credits also include House of Cards, Ozark and Marco Polo, is currently in pre-production on Unbroken Sword at PlayMaker Studios, with principal photography scheduled to begin in early 2026.
Employing more than two hundred crew, the production will use the studios’ cutting-edge soundstages as well as Qiddiya City’s dramatic backdrop of the Tuwaiq Mountains. Cast has yet to be announced.
PlayMaker Studios spans more than 50 acres of backlots and features two high-spec, purpose-built soundstages, flexible workshops, and full production facilities. The campus also houses contemporary production offices and premium on-site amenities.
With demand for studio space already strong, construction is underway on two additional state-of-the-art soundstages, scheduled for completion in 2026.
Qiddiya Investment Company has assembled an experienced on-the-ground team providing hands-on support with permits, logistics, and operations. PlayMaker Studios also offers producers streamlined access to Saudi Arabia’s industry-leading 40% production rebate.
As part of its long-term development plan, PlayMaker Studios will also introduce dedicated post-production, visual effects, volumetric, and music studios, further strengthening the Kingdom’s production infrastructure.
“PlayMaker Studios is a cornerstone of Qiddiya City’s ambition and builds on Saudi Arabia’s growing success in the creative industries,” said Qiddiya Investment Company Managing Director Abdullah Aldawood.
“It marks an important step in strengthening this momentum and realising our vision to create a world class destination where innovation, culture and entertainment come together, and where the global film industry can find a new home in the Kingdom.”
Richard Sharkey, whose credits include House of the Dragon, Marco Polo, The Fifth Estate and The Lord of the Rings franchise, is producing.
“Bringing Unbroken Sword to PlayMaker Studios feels like the start of something genuinely groundbreaking,” he said.
“Being the first production to use the facility is both a privilege and a responsibility we take seriously. The scale, support, and ambition at Qiddiya City are unmatched, and the Tuwaiq Mountains offer an epic canvas we simply couldn’t find anywhere else. We’re thrilled to be part of this new chapter for filmmaking in Saudi Arabia.”
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