Legendary Pictures is putting The Great Wall back together.  The project initially came very close to production with Ed Zwick (The Last Samurai) directing and Henry Cavill and Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) in the lead roles, but scheduling issues and creative differences brought the film to a halt.  The central conceit—which was hatched by Legendary CEO Thomas Tull and World War Z author Max Brooks—explores the mystery behind why The Great Wall was constructed in China.  In Zwick’s iteration, supernatural forces played a role as the wall was built not to keep anyone in, but to keep terrifying creatures out.

Though it was over a year ago that Zwick dropped out, Legendary is going to try to get The Great Wall moving again with Hero director Zhang Yimou.  Hit the jump for more.

Per Heat Vision, Chinese director Zhang Yimou is in talks to take the helm of The Great Wall with the script getting a revamp.  The basic concept will remain, but it’s unclear if the supernatural twist will carry over into Yimou’s iteration.  The Flowers of War filmmaker directed the incredible opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and a number of other films in his home country, but he’s been keen on making his American debut as of late.  Last month, he came onboard to direct an adaptation of the Robert Ludlum novel The Parsifal Mosaic for Universal.

Legendary is apparently looking to renew its focus on China, and The Great Wall is the first major step in that direction.