Zhang Yimou and Matt Damon's The Great Wall Is Coming to New York Comic Con

09/29/2016 06:36 pm EDT

Universal Pictures and Legendary Entertainment announced today that a panel for their forthcoming Matt Damon film The Great Wall is coming to New York Comic Con and will take place on Saturday, October 8 at 12:30 p.m. ET in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

The on-stage discussion will include director Zhang Yimou as well as cast members Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Junkai Wang. Their conversation will be moderated by Dave Karger.

In the film, an elite an elite force makes a heroic stand against monsters to defend the future of humanity -- atop the Great Wall of China.

The film had been accused of whitewashing, since Matt Damon was cast in its leading role, but the filmmakers clarified that the character he is depicting was always an American by design. Especially after similar controversies surrounding Doctor Strange, Gods of Egypt, and Ghost in the Shell, the jury is out as to how much or how little those accusations will impact the film's appeal.

The Great Wall is the most expensive Chinese movie of all time; bringing in Damon waas an attempt to appeal to the North American box office so that the film can turn around Hollywood blockbuster-style dollars.

Directed by Zhang Yimou, the man behind House of Flying Daggers, The Great Wall stars Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe (Justice League), Andy Lau and Jing Tian, who was recently added to the cast of Pacific Rim 2. It is partially written by World War Z author Max Brooks.

The Great Wall is set for release February 17, 2017.

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