Cinemax has dropped the trailer for their upcoming action series Warrior, based on the writings of Bruce Lee.
Warrior tells the story of Ah Sahm, a "martial arts prodigy," who finds himself in the midst of the Tong Wars in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the second half of the 19th century after emigrating from China.
Sahm, played by Andrew Koji, winds up becoming tied to a Chinese organized crime family as a professional killer. Aside from borrowing from his written work, Lee’s influence is evident in the trailer alone in the series’ treatment of the fight choreography.
"As Warrior comes together, I can’t help but feel the pride of correcting a wrong and helping bring Bruce Lee’s dream project to life," Warrior executive producer and Fast and Furious director Justin Lin said in a October 2017 statement. Deadline reports that Lee’s widow Linda Lee Cadwell pitched a series titled The Warrior in 1971 about an Asian hero in the American West. It’s rumored that studios rejected the idea because they thought viewers wouldn’t be willing to embrace an Asian leading man.
Lin and his producing partner Danielle Woodrow searched for the truth regarding the existence of Lee’s pitch for The Warrior, and found his answer with the help of his daughter Shannon. She not only confirmed the validity of the long-standing rumor, but showed them his 8-page treatment, among the boxes and boxes containing Lee’s writings. "That's how this project came to life," Lin said.
Watch the trailer for Warrior up top. The series premieres Friday, April 5.
