The Great Wall (2016)

The Great Wall (Chinese: 长城) is a 2016 science fantasy action monster film directed by Zhang Yimou, with a screenplay by Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro and Tony Gilroy, from a story by Max Brooks, Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. An American and Chinese co-production starring Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, and Andy Lau, the plot centers around a European mercenary warrior (Matt Damon) imprisoned by imperial Chinese forces within the Great Wall of China after arriving in search of gunpowder, eventually joining forces with the Chinese to help combat hordes of Taotieh. The Great Wall is Zhang’s first English-language film.

Principal photography for the film began on March 30, 2015, in Qingdao, China, and it premiered in Beijing on December 6, 2016. It was released by China Film Group in China on December 16, 2016, and in the United States on February 17, 2017 by Universal Pictures. The film received negative reviews from critics, with praise for its action sequences, though the plot received criticism. Although it grossed $335 million worldwide, the film was still considered a box office bomb due to its high production and marketing costs, with losses as high as $75 million.

• Matt Damon as William Garin (威廉·加林), a European mercenary.
• Jing Tian as Commander Lin Mae (林梅; Lín Méi), the leader of the Crane Troop
• Pedro Pascal as Pero Tovar (佩罗· 托瓦尔), a European mercenary.
• Willem Dafoe as Sir Ballard (巴拉德), a European adventurer-turned-teacher in China.
• Andy Lau as Strategist Wang (王军师), the Strategist and War Counselor for the Nameless Order.
• Zhang Hanyu as General Shao (邵殿帅), the leader of the Bear Troop and General of the Nameless Order.

• Lu Han as Peng Yong (彭勇), a soldier in the Bear Troop.
• Eddie Peng as Commander Wu (吴将军), head of the Tiger Troop.
• Kenny Lin as Commander Chen (陈将军), head of the Eagle Troop.
• Karry Wang as The Emperor
• Zheng Kai as Shen (沈)
• Huang Xuan as Commander Deng (邓将军), head of the Deer Troop.
• Cheney Chen as Commander of the Imperial Guard
• Numan Acar as Najid