AMC has cast Hong Kong film star Daniel Wu as the lead in Badlands, the martial-arts drama from Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.

Loosely based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, the series tells the story of a ruthless warrior named Sunny (Wu) and a young boy, who embark on a journey across a dangerous land in search of enlightenment.

Wu, a Chinese-American actor who's starred in more than 60 films, including The Heavenly Kings and The Man with the Iron Fists, joins previously announced cast members Emily Beecham (28 Weeks Later), Sarah Bolger (The Tudors) and Oliver Stark (The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box).

David Dobkin will direct the six-episode first season, expected to premiere in late 2015 or early 2016.