Bruce Lee Biopic Birth of the Dragon Planned


The life of actor/martial artist Bruce Lee is set to be the focus of an upcoming project called Birth of the Dragon, says a story at The Hollywood Reporter. Set up through QED International and Groundswell Productions, the film will merge a traditional biopic with an action film based on actual events.

The Ali and Nixon screenwriting pair of Stephen Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson are attached to provide the screenplay, which is said to follow the aftermath of Lee's legendary 1965 duel with Wong Jack Man. In the movie version, the pair will team to take on Chinatown gangsters in San Francisco.

Bill Block and Michael London will produce alongside Rivele and Wilinson with Kelly Mullen executive producing.

The international cast is headed by Tony Award nominee Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods, Bridge of Spies) as Steve McKee. The film recreates the mid-1960s fight between Lee and Wong from the point of view of a young martial arts student whose allegiance became torn between both men. To this day, people still argue about who won the famous fight, but one thing is certain: after his battle with Wong, Bruce Lee reinvented himself and his style of kung fu.
Mainland Chinese actor Yu Xia (In the Heat of the Sun, The Painted Veil) will play Wong Jack Man. The 75-year-old Wong, who remained silent about the fight for many years, currently lives in the Bay Area, and retired from teaching martial arts in 2005 after 45 years.
Hong Kong-born Philip Ng (Once Upon A Time in Shanghai, Vegas to Macau) will play Lee with Chinese actress Jinging Qu (Old Boys: The Way of the Dragon, Journey Through China) set to play Magnussen’s love interest, Xiulan. The movie’s villain, a ruthless crime boss named Auntie Blossom, will be played by iconic Chinese artist, opinion leader and television host, Jin Xing. The film’s action sequences, meanwhile, will be designed by renowned martial arts choreographer Corey Yuen, a graduate of the Peking Opera School.

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