Matt Damon’s controversial 2016 monster movie The Great Wall has now become a major streaming hit on HBO Max, almost nine years after its theatrical release. The movie divided opinion when it first came out, not just from an artistic perspective, but because Damon plays a white protagonist in an East Asian setting.
The cast of The Great Wall features Chinese actor Jing Tian, Willem Dafoe and Pedro Pascal alongside Matt Damon, and tells the story of European mercenaries doing battle with mysterious monsters in China 1000 years ago. Although far from being considered one of the best movies of Matt Damon’s career, it’s proved popular with audiences ever since its initial release.
Now, the film has surged straight into the top 10 of HBO Max’s streaming chart in the United States, demonstrating once again Matt Damon’s credentials as an action hero. However, this revival of its popularity will also reignite the debate around its controversial casting decisions.
The Great Wall Starring Matt Damon Is Now In HBO Max’s Top 10
It’s Reached Number 4 On The US Movies Chart
Zhang Yimou’s The Great Wall has entered the top 10 of HBO Max’s American movie chart in recent days, immediately following its release on the streaming service. As of July 8, 2025, the movie has peaked at number 4 on the chart, right behind Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed supernatural period drama Sinners, and Jared Hess’ A Minecraft Movie.
The Great Wall grossed $335 million at the box office upon its theatrical release in 2016.
Matt Damon receives top billing for The Great Wall, which is generally seen as one of the actor’s few cinematic missteps of recent years. Nevertheless, it charted highly at the box office, success that’s now been replicated on a major streaming platform. The Great Wall is one of the few movies filmed entirely in China to become this successful internationally.
Our Take On The Great Wall Becoming A US Streaming Hit
Audiences & Critics Have Very Different Opinions Of This Movie
The Great Wall reaching the top 5 of HBO Max’s US movie chart isn’t the first time that the film has become a huge streaming hit. Before appearing on Max, the movie dropped on Netflix in May 2024, garnering a wide audience.
Funnily enough, The Great Wall peaked at number 4 in Netflix’s US chart, just as it appears to have done on Max’s equivalent rankings list for American viewing figures. It clearly ticks a lot of boxes for a summer streaming hit, serving as the home entertainment equivalent of a theatrical summer blockbuster.
Matt Damon might have had to fend off controversy for playing one of three white main characters in a film set in medieval China, but the debate generated by The Great Wall certainly hasn’t lessened its appeal to American audiences. Nor has the critical response to the movie, which has received some of the worst reviews of Damon’s career.
