With the release of Legendary Pictures’ ‘The Great Wall’ coming up in February of 2017, the filmmakers are looking to do everything they can to promote their epic blockbuster before the movie hits theaters, especially after the negative backlash about Matt Damon’s casting being another Hollywood “whitewashing” controversy.
The idea now is to engage domestic audiences early and start building a fanbase so people will be eagerly anticipating the movie and go to the midnight showings the same way they would for a franchise film with a built-in audience. With that in mind, Legendary Comics is releasing a prequel comic titled ‘Last Survivor’ on January 24th 2017 in both hardcover and electronic versions to help fill in the backstory of the movie, especially in regards to the secret society of heroes that defend the Great Wall.
Check out the full description of the graphic novel below:
What if an army was created to defend our world from an enemy so dangerous, its very existence must be kept a secret? Built to keep out the ferocious Tao Tei, The Great Wall is the most powerful defensive structure ever built; but it is the heroes within that make the wall great:The Nameless Order. Set sixty years prior to the film, in the mysterious lands of ancient China, tragedy forces young Bao into joining The Nameless Order and upholding the corps’ four principles: Discipline, Loyalty, Secrecy, and Sacrifice. Challenged by rivals, haunted by his past, and tested by desires, Bao spends his life preparing for one singular moment: when he will have to defend the world from ferocious monsters that have come to devour us all.
An original graphic novel inspired by the major motion picture The Great Wall from Legendary, Universal Pictures, China Film Co., Ltd and Le Vision Pictures, directed by Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) and starring Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal and Willem Dafoe. The Great Wall: Last Survivor is written by Arvid Nelson (Rex Mundi) with art by Gian Fernando (13 Legends). The cover art is by Whilce Portacio.
Are you excited about ‘The Great Wall?’ Or do you think it might be one of the first big flops of 2017? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments below!
Nick is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles, who belongs to the privileged few who enjoyed the ending to ‘Lost.’ For more of Nick’s thoughts and articles, follow him on Twitter.
