(by Mike Cecchini denofgeek.com 8-22-18)
Justin Lin is headed to Cinemax with Warrior. The project is based on material created by none other than legendary martial arts star, Bruce Lee. Lin's Perfect Storm Entertainment is working with Danielle Woodrow and Bruce Lee Enterprises to bring the project to the screen. Justin Lin will direct the pilot, which was written by Banshee co-creator Jonathan Tropper. Cinemax has given Warrior a 10 episode, straight-to-series order.
Here's the official synopsis for Warrior:
"Inspired by an idea from martial-arts legend Bruce Lee, this gritty, action- packed crime drama is set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. Filming in Cape Town, South Africa, it follows a martial arts prodigy who immigrates from China to San Francisco under mysterious circumstances, and becomes a hatchet man for one of Chinatown’s most powerful organized crime families."The show was developed based on handwritten notes from Bruce Lee that were brought to light by his daughter, Shannon Lee. Cinemax will start airing Warrior in 2019. The above image (photo by Graham Bartholomew) showcases series lead Andrew Koji.
“As a show that proudly bears the imprimatur of Bruce Lee, it’s our intention to deliver not only explosive martial arts action – which we will – but also a powerful and complex immigration drama that is as relevant today as it was in the 1870s,” Jonathan Tropper said in a statement when the project was announced (via Deadline).
“I’ve always admired Bruce Lee for his trailblazing efforts opening doors for Asians in entertainment and beyond,” Lin added. “So I was intrigued when Danielle told me about the urban legend of his never-produced idea for a TV show and suggested we bring it to life. Then when Shannon shared with us her father’s writings: rich with Lee’s unique philosophies on life, and through a point of view rarely depicted on screen – Danielle and I knew that Perfect Storm had to make it. Partnering with Cinemax has led to a wonderful collaboration with Jonathan Tropper, who has created a fantastic series inspired by Lee’s writings. We are all honored to continue what he started.”
Bruce Lee fans may remember that Lee felt he deserved more credit for the creation of the popular Kung Fu television series (which starred David Carradine). Lee had written material for a project with the working title of The Warrior, which featured a Chinese martial artist making his way through the American old west. Sound familiar? It has never been made clear just how many of Lee's ideas made it into Kung Fu, but the similarities can't be ignored.
Lee would have been the intended lead in The Warrior, and may have been considered for the role of Cain in Kung Fu before the decidedly not Asian David Carradine was cast in the role. In a 1972 interview with Off Duty/Pacific, Lee joked, "[what] they didn't know is people were ready for Hopalong Wong."
This is one of those projects we never expected to see.
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http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/warrior/153683/warrior-justin-lin-cinemax
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