The Oscar-winning director of 'Life of Pi' and 'Brokeback Mountain' has signed on to direct an upcoming film about the martial arts legend with his son Mason Lee taking on the lead role.
- Dec 1, 2022
AceShowbiz - Ang Lee is making a movie about Bruce Lee and he has found an actor to play the late martial artist in someone from his inner circle. The Oscar-winning director has tapped his son Mason Lee to play the martial arts legend in an upcoming biopic.
Deadline Hollywood reported that the 68-year-old filmmaker has finalized a deal with Sony's 3000 Pictures that will see him directing the project, which is currently titled "Bruce Lee". Dan Futterman ("Capote", "Foxcatcher") is working on a script that has seen previous versions by Jean Castelli, Alex Law and Mabel Cheung and, most recently, Wells Tower.
In addition to serving as director, Ang Lee will produce alongside Lawrence Grey, Shannon Lee, Ben Everard and Brian Bell, with Elizabeth Gabler and Marisa Paiva overseeing the project for the studio. The project reunites Lee with Gabler, Paiva and Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman after working together 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 in a statement. "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."
Ang Lee, meanwhile, told Deadline of why he's determined to make the film, "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. 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."
Ang Lee has reportedly been working quietly on the biopic for a long time and even prepared his son for the role. Mason Lee has been training in Asia in the past three years, all through lockdown. The 32-year-old has also appeared in Lee's 2016 film "Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk" and "The Hangover Part II" (2011). He most recently starred in the Taiwanese romantic comedy "Stand By Me", Hong Kong drama "Limbo" and "Who Killed Cock Robin".
