It was back in February of last yearthat QED International and Groundswell Productions announced their backing of a new Bruce Lee biopic titled Birth Of The Dragon. The film’s announcement couldn’t have come at a better time last year as a new Bruce Lee statue was unveiled in California, in addition to a star-studded screening of Enter The Dragon at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences, and a special exhibition launched at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum attributed to the Jeet Kune Do master and martial artist 40 years after his passing.
On Friday, it was officially announced that The Adjustment Bureau helmer George Nolfi will be directing the film, which will center on a story inspired by the historic closed-doors fight between Lee and kung fu master Wong Jack Man at a time when the Hong Kong Triads were prominent in San Francisco. Nolfi‘s writing credits also include Timeline (2003), Oceans Twelve (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007). Written by Nixon and Ali scribes Christopher Wilkinson and Stephen Rivele the film will be told from the perspective of Steve Mackin, once a student of Lee who ultimately joins forces with Lee and Wong to take on vicious Chinatown gangsters.
Wilkinson and Rivele are producing with Janice Williams, QED founder and CEO Bill Block, and with Groundswell CEO Michael London. Kelly Mullen is executive producing for QED. Birth Of The Dragon will begin rolling cameras next Spring.
The twenty million dollar question is, now who will play Bruce Lee? We’ll find out eventually. And I know once I do, I’ll pass it on.
H/T: Variety