Edward Zwick to Direct Legendary East's First Film 'The Great Wall'

Just days after Legendary Entertainment unveiled the creation of Legendary East, its Hong Kong-based and Chinese-managed entertainment company, Legendary has lined up its first project: The Great Wall, from Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz.our editor recommendsLegendary East Raises $220.5 Million Through Investment From Paul Y. Engineering GroupRelativity Media Launches Strategic Partnership in China Zwick and Herskovitz will write the screenplay based on a story by Legendary Entertainment's chairman and CEO Thomas Tull and World War Z author Max Brooks. Zwick will direct. Zwick and Herskovitz will produce along with Tull and Legendary's chief creative office Jon Jashni, as well as Charles Roven and Alex Gartner of Atlas Entertainment. Great Wall is designed to be a globally-appealing adventure movie that "reveals the legend behind a great mystery of our age: why this magnificent structure came to be," according to the company. "Our partnership with Ed and Marshall is indicative of the creative ambition and financial commitment we are bringing to Legendary East -- not next year or next month, but today," said Jashni, who also serves as an advisor to the Legendary East team, in a statement. "Their ability to translate a sense of history while communicating emotion and wonder has been proven repeatedly. The Great Wall exemplifies the type of globally-appealing, commercial movie we intend to have Legendary East become known for." In China, the project will be distributed Legendary East¹s co-production partner, Huayi Brothers. Warner Bros. is expected to handle the other territories including domestic. Zwick last directed the drama Love and Other Drugs but is known for his fall-flung adventure movies such as The Last Samurai and Blood Diamond. Related Topics International Asia