For decades, Bruce Lee has been an icon in the world of martial arts, and indeed, the world period. Whether representing the pinnacle of power that martial artists hope to achieve, a tireless crusader who tore down cultural barriers, or one of the greatest philosophers the world has ever seen, Bruce Lee was and is a hero and an inspiration for more people than we dare to count. Now, it seems the world will soon have a reminder of just what an impact he made on history with a new biopic of his life-story!
This is hardly the first time the legend of Bruce Lee’s life has been brought to the big-screen. The film “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story”, while taking it’s share of poetic license, famously captured the essence of his life and shot Jason Scott Lee to international acclaim back in 1993. What’s different about the new biopic is that it will be the first to work in tandem with the Bruce Lee Foundation, and more specifically, Bruce Lee Entertainment, which first launched last year and which currently has a television series in the works from “Fast and Furious” director Justin Lin, and a reality show co-produced by Keanu Reeves, among other projects. Bruce Lee Entertainment also released the mobile game, “Bruce Lee: Enter the Game” to rave reviews and over 5 million downloads earlier this year.
Lee’s daughter Shannon says of the upcoming biopic, which she is directly involved in:
“There have been projects out there involving my father but they’ve lacked a complete understanding of his philosophies and artistry. They haven’t captured the essence of his beliefs in martial arts or storytelling. The only way to get audiences to understand the depth and uniqueness of my father is to generate our own material.”
The project’s producer Janet Yang, who also participated in the making of “Dragon” in 1993, also spoke of her involvement with the biopic:
“In this age of an increasingly globalised culture, I can’t think of a more talented and innovative individual who embodies the best of east and west and who can inspire future generations.”
Interestingly, this isn’t the only the only film based on Bruce Lee’s life currently in the works. The upcoming “Birth of the Dragon”, penned by screenwriters Christopher Wilkinson and Stephen Rivele, is also on the way, though it’s taking a decidedly more fictionalized approach to its story. The film will be centred around Lee’s famed private match with Wong Jack-man in his San Francisco school, an event that proved a major catalyst in the formation of Jeet Kune Do (JKD), and the two are said to become allies in a war against Triads in the film. One does have to wonder what impact the upcoming “Ip Man 3” will have on this news – especially considering who showed up at the end of “Ip Man 2“!
Stay tuned for more info on the upcoming Bruce Lee biopic as it develops!
