Zhang Yimou sued Zhang Weiping's Beijing New Film Picture Co. for the production firm's alleged owe to the director. (Photo : wiki.china.org.cn)
“Great Wall,” the newest science-fiction film of high-caliber Chinese director Zhang Yimou, will have a star-studded cast including mega star Andy Lau and one of Hollywood’s finest actors, Matt Damon.
Legendary East revealed that the latest Zhang film will also star Chinese artists Jing Tian, Zhang Hanyu, Lin Gengxin and Zheng Kai; teen idols Cheney Chen, Karry Wang and Lu Han; and Taiwan actor Eddie Yu-yenpeng.
Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal and American actor Willem Dafoe will also join the cast.
The movie, which will present a different angle on the story why China's Great Wall was built, is eyed as Zhang's first box-office hit in years. In 2013, Zhang Yimou signed with new partner LeVision Pictures.
The story will follow the sojourning of some European mercenary soldiers to China to steal the 11th century country's gunpowder formula. Based on Legendary CEO Thomas Tull's idea, these soldiers will then fight with monsters along the Great Wall to save the human race.
Zhang Zao, LeVision Pictures CEO, earlier said that it will be collaborating with Legendary East on the anticipated film, which will have a budget of $135 million. Legendary East is the Chinese venture of Legendary Pictures.
"This is obviously the biggest Chinese movie ever. It's the first-ever official big budget co-production," the CEO shared in a Hollywood Reporter interview in Nov. 2014.
"Great Wall" will also be Zhang Yimou's first English film.
China Film Group and LeVsion Pictures will serve as the film's co-distributors in China. Meanwhile, Universal Pictures will handle its worldwide release. Starting last year, Universal Pictures has partnered with Legendary Pictures in a multi-year film partnership.
The preparation for the film commenced in January. The 850-member crew will start shooting in April in Qingdao.
"Great Wall" will premiere in the U.S. on Nov. 23, 2016, and in China on next year's Chinese New Year celebration.
