El-Matareed premiered on Wednesday, reportedly grossing over EGP 1.5 million in two days, becoming among the top films in the Egyptian box office.

The film stars Ahmed Hatem in the character of Salah who returns from the US after his father’s death to collect his inheritance and to sell his properties which include a football club.

Directed by Yasser Samy, El-Matareed features Eyad Nassar, Tara Emad and Mahmoud El-Bezzawy, as well as a number of rising comedians like Mahmoud Hafez, Taha Desouky, Mahmoud El-Leithy and many others.

The film is written by Ezzat Amin and Salah El-Gehiny.

El-Matareed is competing with other Egyptian comedy films, including Nabil El-Gamil Akhisaay Tagmeel (Nabil El-Gamil Plastic Surgeon) starring comedian Mohamed Henedy, as well as Peter Mimi’s Shalaby starring Karim Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz, in addition to Etneen Lil Egar (Two Persons for Rent) starring Bayoumy Fouad and Mohamed Tharwat, and Ramez Galal's ‘Akhi Fok El Shagara’ (My Brother is On the Tree), among other films.

The film is also competing with Western hits like Hollywood record-breaker Avatar: The Way of Water, as well as animation hits like Mummies, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Smurfs: Next Adventure, in addition to M3GAN, Bablyon and others.

Born in 1987 and a graduate of the Media and Sciences Academy in Cairo, Ahmed Hatem's interest in acting began when he joined the acting workshop led by Mohamed Abdel-Hadi, who recommended him for his debut role in the film Awqat Faragh (Lesiure Time). 

Since then, Hatem has acted in several films and TV series, including Al-Kenz (The Treasure), Al-Haram Al-Rabe'a (The Fourth Pyramid), Qeset Hob (Love Story), Al-Ghasala (The Washing Machine), Vertigo, Ibn Halal (A Good Guy), Fo'k Mostawa Al-Shobohat (Above Suspicion), Hekayty (My Story), and Haret Al-Yahoud (The Jewish Quarter) and other roles.