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'Birth of the Dragon' Puts a Twist on Martial Artist Bruce Lee's Origins

by Ethan Anderton
February 19, 2013
Source: Heat Vision

With so many superheroes getting new origin stories, it's time for another action hero to get the same treatment. Heat Vision has word that QED International and Groundswell Productions are teaming for Birth of the Dragon, a story that will chronicle the earlier years of Bruce Lee, including the real-life fight between the famous martial artist and Wong Jack Man, China's most well-known kung fu master. The fight will serve as the launching point for a bigger, flashier action film following Lee, who ends up teaming up with Wong, to battle a bunch of Chinatown gangsters. So it's not a regular biopic. More below!

This seems like a weird blend of real-life and fantasy, almost like Bruce Lee is being turned into a fantastical hero. It is said that the fight itself, "took place in San Francisco in 1965, when the city’s Chinatown was controlled by Hong Kong triads." Though there are conflicting reports as to why the fight even took place, it essentially doesn't matter since the two will end up being a team in a fictional tale using real kung fu masters for hyperbolic action. Honestly, this project sounds strange, and while it certainly has international appeal, I'm not sure there's a big enough audience who are even aware of Bruce Lee anymore. Thoughts?

Filed under Development, Movie News

From around the web:

http://www.facebook.com/driveindude Sal Driveindude Gomez

Not aware of Bruce Lee anymore? Son, get your head out of those comic books and get a reality check.
- Dominic
  
  THANKS ! for that . If they AREN'T aware well that's why the movie needs to be made . everything else is re-done , to take this generation's money , so why not this ? Half-real, half-the usual " we-take-on-50-gangsters " ? cool by me !!
- Doc
  
  Well said Sal Driveindude Gomez, couldn't agree more. For those who don't know who Bruce Lee is (if any) should watch "How Bruce Lee Changed the World". He's done stuff way ahead of his time that influenced the world we know today.
Moutchy

Can't believe they're making Bruceploitation movie 40 years after the guy's death!
LosZombies

Kinda sucks that at one point a mo-cap CG movie was being developed with "Bruce Lee" starring. Too bad it didnt go through, would have loved to have seen it.
quite_chained_taint

Bruce Lee is the dragon. Bruce Lee is already legendary and mythical: the 1" punch, the two finger push ups, kicking Chuck Norris' ass, dying at such a young age, Jeet Kun Do, and really redefining a movie genre. I hope they do this right, it could be awesome.
- http://www.roamandthink.com/ PBGray
  
  I agree. It could be, and I hope a good writer gets involved who knows dialogue and action. I'm a huge fan of Bruce Lee, so I'm hoping they do him justice even if it will be outside the realm of his true origins.
- http://twitter.com/MovieHypeSA Emmanuel Vic
  
  It would have been awesome if Bruce Lee was playing himself... Am I the only one that thinks this is a bad idea....
Anon

so basically nothing is safe from hollywood?
- Dominic
  
  more like , Nothing's safe from Youtube ! so the legend stlll kicks ass ! On Demand . And yes since they are so desperate for stories that they FINALLY have embraced comics EVERYTHING is fair game
truong18

not enough movies to remake so hollywood have to dig this up.
lando

could be interesting, more interesting would be a film about the real man, Jeet Kun Do and his work out obsession! according to Dan inosanto, he would probably qualify for Obsessive Compulsive in modern times
HMC

What an insult to Bruce Lee. Silly units, trip are for kids.
sigh

Is it that hard to make an actual biopic without the made up stuff ?
Chuck Norris

Are you bloody serious, you don't need no fictional stuff in there...it's Bruce Lee your talking about, gotta change the script asap and It better be like Ip Man, that was bad ass....or why not just make Ip Man 3 where you can get most of Bruce's early life etc in there. You can also get to see Ip Man (Donnie Yen)......two bad asses. And yes i did get my ass kicked by Bruce.
lshannel

i'm pretty sure there is still a strong awareness of who bruce lee is. he is a major influence for today's martial arts and film.
nw

Everyone knows who Bruce Lee is! If you ask 100 people everyone will know...they might not know everything, but they will know the name.
Misfits

OK, if there isn't an audience that is "aware" of Bruce Lee, then why did Muscle and Fitness dedicate a magazine to him last year in celebration of the Year of the Dragon, why did Muscle and Fitness put him on the cover again this month??? Oh yeah it's because people don't know who he is. Also, just released on DVD was "I am Bruce Lee" a full length documentary that broke ratings records for Spike TV. Not to mention the Bruce Lee museum that is currently being built in Seattle, WA. What about the statue that was made in his honor in Hong Kong??? I guess it's all because there isn't an audience.
Calibre

I saw a on a news show a trip to Africa Brad Pitt took on a humanitarian mission. He was playing with a small boy who took a liking to him following him around everywhere he went. Then Brad Pitt asked him who was his favorite star. He said Bruce Lee.