Ang Lee, the Oscar-winning director of Brokeback Mountain and Life Of Pi, is developing a biopic of martial arts icon Bruce Lee with the filmmaker’s son Mason Lee attached to star.
The project has been in development all year with Sony Pictures division 3000 Pictures. Dan Futterman (Capote, Foxcatcher) is adapting the script, which has seen versions by Jean Castelli, Alex Law and Mabel Cheung and, most recently, Wells Tower.
Lawrence Grey, Shannon Lee, Ang Lee, Ben Everard, and Brian Bell are producing.
Elizabeth Gabler and Marisa Paiva are overseeing the project for the studio and Gabler, Paiva and Tom Rothman reunite with Ang Lee after working together on Life Of Pi.
“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 revolutionised both the martial arts and action cinema,” said Ang Lee.
“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.”
“‘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,” said Gabler. “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.”
This year 3000 Pictures’ Where The Crawdads Sing starring Daisy Edgar-Jones grossed more than $140m worldwide, including more than $90m in North America.
Taiwanese filmmaker Lee has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning three: best international feature film for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and best director for both Brokeback Mountain and Life Of Pi.
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