Matt Damon’s Priceless Response to ‘The Great Wall’ Joke

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck recently sat down for a chat on Project Big Screen, keen to drum up interest in their latest Netflix crime flick, The Rip. The conversation was rolling along as expected, until one of the hosts decided to take the mickey out of Damon’s notorious 2016 box office flop, The Great Wall.

Near the end of the interview, the host mentioned he had a gift for Damon from his Chinese in-laws. He handed over a red envelope, saying, “It’s a very special token of appreciation because they love the Great Wall.” Damon’s face lit up, genuinely surprised that someone out there might actually be a fan. “Really?” he asked, clearly chuffed at the idea.

But the host quickly backtracked, “No, they don’t. Sorry. I just had to get one.” Both Damon and Affleck burst out laughing, with Damon admitting, “I was so excited to meet somebody who liked that film.” He even joked about showing the gift to his daughter, who, as it turns out, isn’t exactly a supporter of her dad’s work in that particular project.

Family Banter: Damon’s Daughter Isn’t a Fan

If there’s anyone who gives Damon a hard time about The Great Wall, it’s his own daughter. During the same interview, Damon shared that she calls the film simply “The Wall.” When he tried to correct her, she shot back, “Dad, there’s nothing great.”

Damon has told this story before, including on Marc Maron’s podcast, where he opened up about why he reckoned the film was doomed from the start. He explained that director Zhang Yimou had to compromise his vision to keep Hollywood producers happy. Damon recalled his daughter’s sharp wit:

I was like, this is exactly how disasters happen. It doesn’t cohere. It doesn’t work as a film… And my daughter knows it. Whenever she talks about the film, she calls it ‘The Wall.’ And I’m like, come on, it’s called The Great Wall. And she’s like, ‘Dad, there’s nothing great about that film.’ She’s one of the funniest people I know.

The Great Wall copped a fair bit of criticism from both punters and critics, and it didn’t exactly set the box office alight. Despite pulling in $334 million on a $150 million budget, it was widely panned and even sparked controversy over its casting choices.

Behind the Scenes: What Went Wrong?

Director Zhang Yimou had high hopes for his Hollywood debut, but things didn’t go to plan. Damon has said he saw trouble brewing when Zhang had to make changes to suit the Hollywood backers. He’s described the production as a pretty rough experience.

The film tried to follow in the footsteps of other Chinese hits that made waves in the West, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Kung Fu Hustle. But it missed the mark, failing to capture the cultural spark that made those films stand out.

On top of a shaky plot and questionable effects, The Great Wall was slammed for its ‘white saviour’ storyline. Many viewers felt Damon’s role should have gone to a Chinese actor, and the casting choice became a talking point for all the wrong reasons.

Streaming Revival and Cast

Despite its rocky start, The Great Wall has found a new audience since landing on streaming platforms. The cast also includes Jing Tian, Willem Dafoe, and Pedro Pascal, but even with that line-up, the film’s reputation hasn’t exactly improved.

So, what’s your take on Damon’s infamous adventure? The Great Wall is now streaming for anyone curious enough to give it another go.