With Benjamin Walker(Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) recently joining Henry Cavill(Man of Steel) as the co-lead in The Great Wall, Ed Zwick seemed to have his ducks in a row for his first historical action flick since 2008's Defiance. Production had been set to begin in the fall, but Legendary Pictures has been forced to push the shoot date into next spring due to weather concerns. It's a little weird, considering China and New Zealand, where the movie would film, wouldn't seem to have much in common weather-wise. I could be wrong. Regardless, casting continues on in the meantime, giving an indication that the film is still a priority.
Deadline notes that a number of Chinese stars are circling the film, including the under-seen Zhang Ziyi(Memoirs of a Geisha). No clue what her role would be, but any chance to see her in an American movie is appreciated. She last voiced one of the main characters in the animated TMNT in 2007, and has been working solely overseas ever since. We should get to see her again soon when The Weinstein Company releases Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmasters, hopefully by the end of this year or early next. Considering she's currently embroiled in a nasty scandal where she's been accused of sleeping with high ranking Chinese officials for gifts and cash, she might be anxious to get away for awhile.
Zwick co-wrote The Great Wall's script, which tells the story of two 15th century British soldiers who discover a great mystery surrounding China's construction of the barrier. Turns out the Mongols aren't the only threat to China, as something dangerous and inhuman also lurks.
