Despite backing from Legendary boss Thomas Tull as part of his attempt to widen his focus, China-set epic The Great Wall has proven a tricky prospect. It has burnt through at least one director and several potential cast members in its journey to the screen. Just as it starts to look like it’ll take longer to make than the structure it chronicles, word has arrived that Matt Damon might be interested in starring, which could certainly move things along.
As of right now, it’s only something Damon is considering, but there are compelling reasons for him to take it. Not least of those is the chance to work with director Zhang Yimou, who is currently developing the film. Carlos Bernard and Doug Miro wrote a draft of the script, but Bourne veteran Tony Gilroy has produced the most recent version, which could also have attracted Damon’s interested.
The epic tale is still largely under wraps, though it’s expected to tell the story of how chunks of the wall came to be built across several generations in northern China. Originally constructed to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire in the 5th century BC, it has since been modified, demolished and rebuilt several times up until 16th century. There’s a lot of history to pack in, so we expect the pic will focus on one or two specific periods.
Damon’s plate is full at the moment, which could be a complicating factor. He’ll next star for Ridley Scott in The Martian and has other options jostling for his attention, not the least of which are a potential Bourne reunion and his plans to direct a film of his own. Damon is also part of the cast of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, which launches here on November 7 and is covered in the next issue of **Empire.