Set against the backdrop of 1960s San Francisco, Birth of the Dragon is a modern take on the classic movies that Bruce Lee was known for. It takes its inspiration from the epic and still controversial showdown between an up-and-coming Bruce Lee and kung fu master Wong Jack Man -- a battle that gave birth to a legend.
Before becoming a legendary icon, known to millions around the world, Bruce Lee was a driven young man working to establish himself as a top kung fu master. In 1964, everything changed for Lee when Wong Jack Man, a Northern Shaolin master from China, arrived in San Francisco and stepped forward to accept Lee's public challenge. Remarkably, the outcome of that ensuing confrontation was observed by only a handful of witnesses and, still hotly contested today, has taken on mythic proportions. But one thing appears certain: from that epic battle, Bruce Lee emerged as The Dragon -- the man who brought kung fu to the world.
Directed by George Nolfi, Birth of the Dragon is a lively imagining of that mythic fight. Philip Ng stars as the then unknown but irrepressibly talented Bruce Lee, and celebrated Chinese actor Xia Yu plays Wong Jack Man. The film also stars Billy Magnussen, Jingjing Qu, Jin Xing and Simon Yin.
Here's the trailer:
Birth of the Dragon opens in theaters on August 25.
