Mohamed Imam’s Shams El-Zanati Film Faces Legal Dispute by Raymond Ramses

The production of the upcoming Egyptian film Shams El-Zanati: Ayyam Al-Shaqawa, starring Mohamed Imam, has entered a legal dispute following the release of its first promotional poster. Producer Raymond Ramses has challenged the film’s current promotional materials, alleging that his production company was excluded from the official poster despite being an original partner in the project, Masrawy reported.

Legal Dispute Over Production Rights

The conflict centers on the official marketing for the film, which serves as a prequel to the 1991 classic Shams El-Zanati. According to a statement issued by Raymond Ramses, the omission of his company’s name and logo from the promotional poster constitutes a violation of their partnership agreement and infringes upon both financial and moral rights. Ramses confirmed that the matter is currently before the courts and denied that any judicial ruling has granted another party the sole right to control or distribute the film.

Ramses stated that his legal team is exploring options to place the film’s visual assets under judicial sequestration and to potentially halt distribution and exhibition until the dispute is resolved. He further noted that the Chamber of Cinema Industry has granted the other involved production entities a one-week deadline to allow his accountants to review project expenditure documents, as reported by Erem News.

Conflicting Claims on Production Partnerships

The status of the production partnership remains a point of contention between the parties involved. Legal representatives for the production side, identified by the office of lawyer Hossam Lotfy, have previously asserted that the production rights belong to the companies AKA Production and Back Era Production. They maintain that Rashidi Film Production is responsible for the field execution of the project, according to reporting by Erem News.

Film Scope and Production History

The film, titled Shams El-Zanati: Ayyam Al-Shaqawa, is directed by Ahmed Khaled Moussa and written by Mohamed El-Dabah. It acts as a prequel to the original 1991 film led by Adel Imam, focusing on the origin story of the titular character and the events preceding the attack on the oasis, as detailed by Shorouk News. In addition to Mohamed Imam, the cast includes Yasmine Raeis, Bassem Samra, Mahmoud Abdel-Moghni, Mohamed Tharwat, Ahmed El-Rafeey, and Khaled Anwar.

Promotional Campaign and Upcoming Release

Despite the legal friction, producer Mohamed El-Rashidi launched the film’s first teaser poster on social media platforms in early October 2026. While the promotional material signals an intent to bring the film to cinemas, the producers have not yet announced an official release date for the project, per Shorouk News.

The current legal challenge follows a history of production hurdles for the film, which was initially envisioned as a modernized take on the classic 1991 story inspired by the narrative structure of The Seven Samurai. The resolution of the dispute over the promotional materials remains pending, with further legal actions anticipated by the parties involved.