Ang Lee, the Oscar-winning director behind Life of Pi, is set to direct the biopic on Chinese-American martial arts legend Bruce Lee. According to Variety, the filmmaker’s son Mason Lee is attached to star in the film, which is in development at Sony’s 3000 Pictures. Dan Futterman is adapting the script. Jean Castelli, Alex Law and Mabel Cheung and Wells Tower wrote earlier versions of the screenplay. “
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.
He continued, “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.” Lawrence Grey, Shannon Lee, Ang Lee, Ben Everard, and Brian Bell are attached to serve as producers.
Elizabeth Gabler and Marisa Paiva are overseeing the project for the studio. Gabler, Paiva and Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman previously worked with Lee on 2012’s Oscar-winning adventure drama Life of Pi. “Bruce Lee is a longtime passion project for Ang and a deeply emotional story depicting the triumphs and conflicts of one of the foremost real life action heroes of our time,” Gabler said.
“All of us at Sony and 3000 Pictures are proud to help Ang and his filmmaking team create what we believe will be an extraordinary theatrical event.” Other acclaimed credits for Lee include Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Sense and Sensibility, Hulk, Lust and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk which also starred Mason Lee.
Meanwhile, Mason Lee also appeared in The Hangover Part II and most recently starred in the Taiwanese romantic comedy Stand By Me, Hong Kong drama Limbo and Who Killed Cock Robin.
Also Read: “Life Of Pi has been my most exhausting movie” – Ang Lee