So why DID China build that Great Wall, the one you can see from outer space? Oh, sure, there’s a real life answer that involves the nomadic groups of the Eurasian steppes, but really, wouldn’t we rather imagine that there were monsters involved? I mean, they make history better. And in Hero, director Zhang Yimou already made Chinese history far more stylized and cool than a non-wire-work reality could ever have been…so we’re totally along for this ride in The Great Wall.

Matt Damon gets most of the space on the U.S. poster, but Infernal Affairs‘ Andy Lau, Kong: Skull Island‘s Jiang Ten, Chinese music superstars Lu Han and Wang Junkai, along with Willem Dafoe (every movie you’ve ever seen featuring a creepy smiley guy with a Wisconsin accent) back him up in this epic-looking adventure that might just be the best cinematic thing to happen to walls since Bob Geldof got sad listening to Pink Floyd.

Whatever lurks beyond the wall is nothing that a guy (or multiple guys) can’t stop by leaping into smoke with arms outstretched and arrows at the ready, right? That is, after all, how we tackle day-to-day stresses and crush them, so it seems sound. Besides, Zhang Yimou has directed Jet Li into action, so he knows what’s up.

Check out a full gallery of stills below for more looks at the heroes. Then prepare for more later in the year–China will get the movie in time for December, but the U.S. release is right around Valentine’s Day next year, and nothing says share the love like an epic featuring Matt Damon AND monsters.

Are you building your path to the theater yet? Let us know in comments.

Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures’ The Great Wall hits theaters on February 17, 2017.

Images: Legendary

​(Editor’s note: Nerdist Industries is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.)