It was certainly a matter of time, but Cinemax is making it official as of Wednesday with news that Warrior has been renewed for a second season. Len Amato, president, HBO Films, Miniseries and CINEMAX Programming, made the announcement this week as episode four of the hit martial arts series remains pending for its Friday broadcast on Cinemax.
“Bruce Lee’s vision is alive and well,” noted Amato. “WARRIOR combines high-energy martial arts with wit and brains. We’re thrilled to renew such a great show for a second season on CINEMAX.”
The show is literally decades in the making, birthed from the mind of martial arts legend Bruce Lee whose own concept was once rejected by studio majors only to see it erected for television as Kung Fu with a new vision and star at the time. Daughter and Warrior exec producer Shannon Lee of Bruce Lee Entertainment shepherded the show’s redevelopment straight from her late father’s writings with the aid of exec producers Jonathan Tropper (CINEMAX’s “Banshee”) under Tropper Ink Productions, and Perfect Storm’s Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond, Universal’s Fast/Furious franchise).
Warrior takes place in the late 19th century San Francisco during the brutal Chinatown Tong Wars. Koji plays Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy whose fighting prowess is as sharp as his own wit. However, war is brewing between the gangs amid the city’s own social upheaval and political skullduggery, and having aligned with a local gang as a hatchet man, it’s gonna take more than fast fists and feet for him to have a fighting chance.
Three episodes in and I can honestly say that while Into The Badlands rounds out its own epic saga, Warrior has more than proven itself time and again. The buzz is real, folks, and very much deserved, and I’m strongly looking forward to the next episode so, consider my Friday night already planned.
Koji is joined by a cast that includes Perry Yung, Jason Tobin, Olivia Cheng, Dean Jagger, Kieran Bew, Dianne Doan, Hoon Lee, Langley Kirkwood, Christian McKay, Joe Taslim, Joanna Vanderham, Tom Weston-Jones.
Warrior hails from Perfect Storm Entertainment, Tropper Ink Productions and Bruce Lee Entertainment. Perfect Storm’s own Danielle Woodrow also serves as exec producer, Brad Kane exec producing and Richard Sharkey co-executive producing. Assaf Bernstein ran point on the explosive pilot episode which can be tentatively viewed here.
