Ed Zwick to direct The Great Wall

Ed Zwick clearly loves his Asian history. Having boned up on the Meiji Restoration for The Last Samurai , he’ll now turn his attention to the history of the Great Wall Of China for the aptly named The Great Wall .

Zwick has agreed to direct the inaugural film for fledgling studio Legendary East, which explores the history behind one of civilisation’s most enduring structures. Or as the official press release puts it: “ The Great Wall reveals the legend behind a great mystery of our age: why this magnificent structure came to be.”

Zwick will pen the screenplay with long-standing writing partner Marshall Herskovitz. Their script will be based upon an original story concocted by Thomas Tull (Chairman and CEO of Legendary Entertainment) and World War Z author Max Brooks.

Legendary East is a Hong Kong-based standalone created, “to produce content that is as commercially viable within China as it is throughout the rest of the world.” Going by its subject matter, The Great Wall would certainly appear to fit that brief.

Zwick himself sounds duly excited by the project, stating that, “Legendary East has given us the chance to do what we most love — to create an adventure on a grand scale.”

The film has yet to receive an official release date. Zwick is also attached to direct spy thriller American Assassin , and it remains to be seen which project will receive his attentions first.