Matt Damon’s film The Great Wall has recently climbed the streaming charts, marking a surprising resurgence nine years after its 2016 release. This sci-fi action movie, directed by Zhang Yimou, features Damon as a European mercenary who joins forces with Chinese soldiers defending the Great Wall against a mysterious enemy. The rise of The Great Wall on platforms like HBO Max highlights renewed viewer interest despite its earlier commercial disappointment.
The 2016 film stars Matt Damon alongside a diverse cast including Pedro Pascal, Jing Tian, Willem Dafoe, Andy Lau, Zhang Hanyu, Lu Han, Eddie Peng, Kenny Lin, Karry Wang, Zheng Kai, Huang Xuan, Cheney Chen, and Numan Acar. It was filmed extensively in China, showcasing large-scale action sequences and elaborate visual effects to create a fantastical historical backdrop.
Initial Box Office Performance and Critical Reception
When The Great Wall was first released, it struggled to meet expectations both financially and critically. Despite grossing $334 million worldwide against a $150 million budget, the movie did not recoup all costs, reportedly causing losses up to $75 million for the studio. Reviews generally criticized the film for failing to deliver on excitement or narrative depth that audiences anticipated from such a high-profile project.
The film holds relatively low ratings, with a 35% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 42% audience rating, reflecting the mixed and often negative reception. Additionally, casting Matt Damon as the lead stirred controversy related to perceptions of whitewashing and the promotion of a white savior storyline, which further complicated its legacy.
Matt Damon’s Career Context and The Great Wall’s Place Within It
Matt Damon is widely recognized as one of Hollywood’s most successful actors, having risen to fame with the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote and starred in alongside Ben Affleck. This film earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay while launching Damon into leading roles in prominent movies like The Talented Mr. Ripley, the Jason Bourne series, and the Ocean’s trilogy directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Throughout his career, Damon has earned multiple Oscar nominations for films including Invictus and The Martian. More recently, he appeared in top-grossing projects such as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, his highest-grossing release with $975 million worldwide. However, alongside successes, Damon’s filmography includes occasional commercial failures like Green Zone, Promised Land, Downsizing, Suburbicon, and The Last Duel, illustrating the unpredictable nature of the film industry. The Great Wall stands out as one of the more prominent misfires amid his otherwise strong track record.
The Significance of The Great Wall’s Streaming Resurgence
The unexpected popularity of The Great Wall on streaming platforms today offers a modest consolation compared to its initial theatrical run. Ranking 10th on HBO Max’s current Top 10 movies, it trails titles like The Meg, Jaws vs. Mega Croc, and Black Mako of the Abyss, signaling that while it is not a major comeback, The Great Wall still garners curiosity and viewership years later.
This renewed interest points to how streaming services can extend the life of films that initially struggled at the box office, allowing new audiences to discover them and old viewers to revisit. However, its streaming presence is less about redemption and more a reflection of the film’s complex legacy—one marked by ambitious spectacle but limited cultural resonance.
