Having seen big success with the martial arts epic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon more than two decades ago, director Ang Lee is now planning a film about one of the masters of screen combat: Bruce Lee. And he hasn't had to look too far for a star, casting his son Mason Lee in the lead.
According to Deadline, Ang and Mason have been planning this one for the last few years, with the latter committing to an extensive training programme through lockdown and beyond to get into fighting shape.
Bruce Lee, of course, needs little introduction as an icon of cinema and a Chinese-American groundbreaker who still faced racism and obstacles even as he became a global star. And, of course, he died shockingly young at 32, just before Enter The Dragon cemented his breakthrough.
"Accepted as neither fully American nor fully Chinese, Bruce Lee was a bridge between East and West who introduced Chinese Kung Fu to the world, a scientist of combat and an iconic performing artist who revolutionized both the martial arts and action cinema," Ang Lee tells Deadline. "I feel compelled to tell the story of this brilliant, unique human being who yearned for belonging, possessed tremendous power in a 135-pound-frame, and who, through tireless hard work, made impossible dreams into reality."
Foxcatcher writer Dan Futterman is the latest person to tackle the script, which has been through a wealth of drafts as Lee and Sony developed it. Now it finally seems ready to kick into gear.
