February 11 Henry looking to join period epic The Great Wall

Henry Cavill is still working hard as the eponymous man of steel in Zack Snyder’s new Superman film, but the Brit star must be enjoying a little downtime, because he’s eying his next project, period epic The Great Wall.

Edward Zwick, of The Last Samurai, is already in place as director, having written the screenplay with Marshall Herskovitz. It’s based on a story by World War Z scribes Max Brooks and Thomas Tull.

Plot details are light, but Variety report that the film will look into the mystery behind how China’s Great Wall was built in the 5th Century BC.

No word yet on who Cavill would play, though we assume he’ll get to fling a few fists in the process. With Zwick behind the camera we should definitely expect some action, not to mention beautiful period furnishings.

Cavill may still be pumping iron as Superman, but we won’t get to see the finished film until Man Of Steel opens on 14 June 2013.

Source: Variety

June 04 “The Great Wall” Casting Info

So, finally some updates regarding “The Great Wall”. It seems the co-lead it’s between Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood) and Benjamin Walker (Abrahan Lincoln, the Vampire Hunter).

The Great Wall is an adventure film about British warriors traveling through 15th Century China and happen upon the hurried construction of the massive wall. As night falls, the warriors realize that the haste in building the wall isn’t just to keep out the Mongols. There is something inhuman and more dangerous. The picture, based on an idea by Legendary CEO Thomas Tull and Max Brooks, is being made through the Hong Kong-based Legendary East.

So exciting!

June 10 “The Great Wall” Production Postponed

While Legendary Pictures just set Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter star Benjamin Walker on Friday to join Man of Steel‘s Henry Cavill in the Ed Zwick-directed The Great Wall, a decision has just been made to push from a fall start date until next spring.

Rumors have been racing this weekend that The Great Wall might be crumbling but I’m told that is not the case. In fact, casting on the film continues with Zhang Ziyi and other Chinese talent is also being courted for the film.

The issue is weather. The film will shoot in locations in China and New Zealand, and logistically it will be easier to do this in the spring than if the picture keeps its fall start date. Insiders tell me the film will happen, even though a domestic distributor hasn’t yet been secured. It is meant to be the first major film to kick off Legendary East, and with every studio looking for opportunities to make films in China, the project certainly seems viable.

Set in 15th century China, The Great Wall is about British warriors who happen upon the hurried construction of the massive wall. As night falls, the warriors realize that the haste in building the wall isn’t just to keep out the Mongols — there is something inhuman and more dangerous. The picture is based on an idea by Legendary CEO Thomas Tull and Max Brooks.

Now, Legendary postponed the Alex Proyas epic Paradise Lost before eventually scrapping the picture over budget, but I’m persuaded the intention is to make The Great Wall happen.

Deadline

September 24 Ed Zwick Exits ‘The Great Wall’

Bad news? The Playlist is reporting “The Great Wall” did lost its director.

In the works for a while now, the first production by Legendary East has been operating under something of a veil of secrecy. What we do know thus far: Superman and Abraham Lincoln (Henry Cavill and Benjamin Walker) are in the leads of pic, with Zhang Ziyi joining them, in a script penned by Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz which is based off a story, dreamed up by Legendary honcho Thomas Tull and “World War Z” author Max Brooks, that centers on two 15th century British warriors who stumble across the wall mid-construction, but soon realize that it’s not just being built to keep out the Mongols, but something else entirely. Production was slated to begin this year, but was pushed to next spring due to weather and incomplete financing.