Even before its release, the film sparked a heated debate over "whitewashing" in Hollywood. Critics questioned why Matt Damon—an American white actor—was the lead in a story set in ancient China about a Chinese monument. The studio argued that Damon’s character was a foreigner discovering China, and that the film featured a majority-Asian cast (including Jing Tian, Zhang Hanyu, Lu Han, and Eddie Peng). However, many felt the marketing focused heavily on Damon, relegating Chinese stars to the background.
When The Great Wall hit theaters in late 2016, the pirate site ecosystem was booming. Filmyfly, along with Tamilrockers and 123Movies, saw the film as premium content. Within days of the US release, a high-quality HD copy leaked online—likely from a screener or a compromise of a digital delivery system. The Great Wall -2016- Filmyfly.Com