What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Great Wall
Film · 2016
If you loved The Great Wall, start with The Witcher (Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, 2019) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Great Wall across media.
If you enjoyed the spectacle of The Great Wall, you will appreciate these stories that define humanity through defensive struggle.
Books on the same thread
The Last Battle
Clive Staples Lewis · Book · 1956
Explores: Good vs Evil, Faith, Sacrifice.
Much like the soldiers defending the barrier in The Great Wall, the characters here face an existential threat requiring ultimate sacrifice to protect their realm from encroaching evil.
The Martian
Andy Weir · Book · 2015
Explores: Resourcefulness, Human Ingenuity, Isolation.
If the tactical ingenuity used to repel monsters in The Great Wall captivated you, you will admire this intense focus on scientific problem solving during a survival crisis.
The Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien · Book · 1937
Explores: Good vs. Evil, Courage, The Hero's Journey.
The Great Wall shares this sense of epic adventure where a reluctant hero becomes essential to a larger quest against powerful, monstrous forces threatening the entire land.
The Good Earth
Pearl S. Buck · Book · 2004
Explores: Poverty, Land Ownership, Social Mobility.
This historical narrative provides the cultural foundation seen in The Great Wall, grounding the epic scale of Chinese history within a deeply personal and human struggle.
Series on the same thread
Game of Thrones
David Benioff · Series · 2011
Explores: Power Struggles, Moral Ambiguity, War and Politics.
Fans of the military strategy in The Great Wall will recognize the weight of defending a massive frontier against an ancient, supernatural evil that looms over civilization.
Attack on Titan
Series · 2013
Explores: Survival, Existential Horror, Loss of Innocence.
This series mirrors the core premise of The Great Wall by focusing on a fortified society forced to maintain a desperate, high-stakes defense against relentless man-eating monsters.
The Last Kingdom
Stephen Butchard · Series · 2015
Explores: warrior culture, identity crisis, cultural clash.
The Great Wall features a clash of cultures and martial loyalty that resonates deeply with the political intrigue and warrior identity found throughout this gritty historical drama.
The Witcher
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich · Series · 2019
Explores: Destiny vs. Free Will, Moral Ambiguity, Prejudice and Discrimination.
If you enjoyed the monster-hunting action of The Great Wall, you will appreciate this journey through a dangerous world where professional warriors confront wicked beasts and moral dilemmas.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Adventure Zone
The McElroys · Podcast · 2026
Explores: improvised storytelling, group dynamics, high fantasy satire.
This podcast captures the spirit of high adventure found in The Great Wall, trading cinematic grandiosity for an improvised, character-driven quest against various fantasy creatures and threats.
Mahabharatam
Podcast
Explores: ancient warfare, family conflict, duty (dharma).
This epic saga provides the same sense of historical weight and grand-scale warfare that defines The Great Wall, exploring duty and family conflict during a massive war.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Great Wall based on a historical event?
The Great Wall is a fictional action film. While it features European mercenaries searching for black powder in China, the plot centers on the defense of the wall against a horde of monstrous creatures rather than a documented historical conflict.
What is the main conflict in The Great Wall?
The primary conflict in The Great Wall involves a group of European mercenaries who travel to China in search of black powder. Upon arrival, they become embroiled in a massive military defense against a persistent horde of monstrous creatures attacking the structure.
Are there other versions of The Great Wall to watch?
The 2016 film The Great Wall is a standalone production. There are no other versions or direct adaptations in the current catalog, so the film serves as a unique entry point for those interested in its specific premise of monster-based defense.
Does The Great Wall focus on the discovery of black powder?
The search for black powder serves as the initial motivation for the mercenaries in The Great Wall. However, the narrative quickly shifts focus once the characters become involved in the defense of the wall against the threat of the monstrous creatures.