We’ve been waiting for a definitive Bruce Lee movie for decades. Not a "Bruceploitation" flick or a questionable cameo in a Tarantino film, but a real, high-budget masterpiece that captures the philosophy and the speed. For a while, it looked like we were finally getting it.
Ang Lee—the visionary behind Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon—was deep in the trenches. He had his son, Mason Lee, training for five years straight to mimic the Little Dragon's twitchy, explosive movement. Fans were hyped. Sony’s 3000 Pictures was attached. Then, the news dropped that the bruce lee film new project has hit a massive wall.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a mess right now.
The Biopic is Officially on Hold
As of early 2026, Ang Lee has confirmed that his long-awaited Bruce Lee biopic is currently on ice. He recently spoke at an event in Taipei, admitting that the project is stuck because of a "triple threat" of issues: creativity, funding, and copyright.
Eight years. That’s how long he’s been trying to get this off the ground.
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It’s kind of heartbreaking when you think about Mason Lee. The guy spent a huge chunk of his thirties becoming a martial artist specifically for this role. People were worried about "nepotism," but producers at Sony claim they did a worldwide search and no one could match Mason’s dedication or his "spitting image" resemblance to Bruce during the Enter the Dragon era.
Why is this project so hard to make?
Making a movie about Bruce Lee isn't like making a movie about a politician. You have to deal with:
- The Estate: Shannon Lee and Bruce Lee Enterprises are very protective. They want the legacy handled with extreme care.
- The Physics: Ang Lee wants to "revolutionize" action. He’s done with 3D (he basically called it "bad" recently), but he wants a visual breakthrough that captures Bruce’s speed without just using slow motion.
- The Narrative: The script, originally by Dan Futterman (Capote), focuses on the period surrounding Enter the Dragon. It’s a kaleidoscopic look at a man who was neither "fully American nor fully Chinese."
Sony Pictures is reportedly hesitant to greenlight the massive budget Ang Lee needs to pull off this "visual revolution." In the meantime, the director has moved on to a film called Old Gold Mountain, though even that has been delayed by California tax laws.
What About the "House of Lee" Anime?
If the live-action movie is stuck in development hell, where does that leave the other bruce lee film new projects?
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The big one is House of Lee. This is an anime series created by Shannon Lee in collaboration with Shibuya (the platform behind the White Rabbit anime). It was supposed to drop in 2024 or 2025, but we’re now into 2026 and it’s still in the final stages of production.
The trailer, which debuted alongside the 50th-anniversary screenings of Enter the Dragon, showed a stylized, high-action version of Bruce. It’s not a biography. It’s a fantasy-action series where Bruce assembles a team of "Dragon Warriors." It’s basically Bruce Lee meets Avatar: The Last Airbender. While it’s not a "film" in the traditional sense, it’s the most substantial official content we’re likely to see this year.
The Rise of the AI "Resurrections"
There’s a weird trend happening while the official biopic is stalled. You’ve probably seen the "Enter the Dragon 2025/2026" trailers on YouTube.
Be careful with those.
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They aren't real movies. They are AI-generated fan concepts using tools like MidJourney and ElevenLabs. Some of them look shockingly good, which is actually part of the problem. They create a lot of noise and make people think a bruce lee film new is coming next month, when in reality, the official project is still looking for a new path forward.
What Most People Get Wrong About Bruce Lee Movies
People think the 1993 movie Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is the gold standard. It’s a fun movie, sure. Jason Scott Lee was great. But let’s be real—it’s mostly fiction. It has him fighting literal demons and includes fight scenes that never happened.
Ang Lee’s goal is to strip away the myth and show the "scientist of combat." He wants to show the 135-pound man who was obsessed with belonging. The reason the current project is stalled is because Ang refuses to make a generic, "by the numbers" biopic. He’s looking for a way to show Bruce’s internal struggle as much as his physical one.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re looking for a Bruce Lee fix while the biopic is in limbo, here is the best way to spend your time:
- Watch the 4K Restorations: Don’t wait for a new movie to see Bruce. The Criterion Collection "Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits" is the highest quality way to see the original films. If you haven't seen The Way of the Dragon in 4K, you haven't actually seen it.
- Follow the Anime: Keep an eye on Shibuya’s official channels for the House of Lee premiere. It’s the only official project currently in the "post-production" phase.
- Read the Source Material: If you want the depth Ang Lee is trying to capture, read Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly. It’s the most exhaustive biography available and is likely the blueprint for any future film scripts.
- Ignore the Clickbait: If you see a "New Bruce Lee Movie Trailer" that looks like a video game or stars a generic muscular guy, it’s likely AI-generated or a "Bruceploitation" re-release.
The wait for a bruce lee film new continues, but the fact that a director of Ang Lee's caliber is willing to spend nearly a decade trying to get it "right" suggests that when it finally does arrive, it will be worth the decade of silence.