A Bruce Lee biopic is on the way. The upcoming film will be directed by Oscar-winner Ang Lee (Life of Pi) and is set to star the filmmaker's son, Mason Lee.
Though his film career was cut short by his untimely death in 1973, his impact and influence is still felt worldwide. Berry Gordy's 1985 cult classic, The Last Dragon, was majorly influenced by Lee, with the main character "Bruce Leroy" drawing direct inspiration from Lee's films and martial arts style.
Hip-Hop's strong connection to Lee is also well documented, with the Wu-Tang Clan notably inspired by the martial arts star, especially RZA.
“Bruce Lee melded so many different styles of martial arts with moves from Muhammad Ali, philosophies from Taoism and Buddhism, but he was also conscious of [people like] Malcolm X and the struggle of Black America," RZA told ESPN's The Undefeated (now AndScape) in 2020. "It shows up all in his work and his persona.”
Ang Lee said he felt compelled to tell Lee's story. “Accepted as neither fully American nor Fully Chinese, Bruce Lee was a bridge between East and West who introduced Chinese Gung Fu to the world, a scientist of combat and an iconic performing artist who revolutionized both the martial arts and action cinema,” Ang Lee said in a statement. “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.”