Saudi actor and comedian Ibrahim Al Hajjaj is set to reprise his role in a sequel to the comedy film Esaaf (Ambulance), the first Arabic-language feature to be released in IMAX format.
The follow-up will again be helmed by British director Colin Teague, known for his work on Doctor Who and Torchwood, according to Variety.
Ambulance debuted on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone as IMAX’s inaugural Arabic release. The screwball comedy centres on two quarrelling Saudi paramedics who discover a briefcase containing SAR 2 million (approximately $533,300), inadvertently drawing them into a dangerous kidnapping and ransom scheme.
The film follows Al Hajjaj’s box office hit Sattar (2023), a wrestling-themed comedy that grossed over $30 million, largely within Saudi Arabia. Sattar remains the highest-grossing Saudi film since the country lifted a 35-year ban on commercial cinemas in 2017.
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Penned by Alberto Lopez (Rupture), Ambulance is co-produced by Al Hajjaj’s House of Comedy, Talal Anazi’s Black Light Operations, and Peter Smith, former head of MBC Studios, in collaboration with Saudi Media Company.
The film premiered to a full house at Muvi Cinemas’ IMAX screen in U Walk, Riyadh on April 15, attended by media, celebrities, and industry professionals.
It is set to compete at the upcoming Saudi Film Festival—the Kingdom’s longest-running film event—and will soon roll out across the Gulf and Middle East.