Just when you thought that all the big news would be shared via San Diego Comic-Con, it's been announced that DEADPOOL 2 director David Leitch is in early talks to direct a remake of Bruce Lee's ENTER THE DRAGON. The original film, directed by Robert Clouse (GAME OF DEATH, BATTLE CREEK BRAWL, THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR) and released in 1973, told the story of a martial artist (Lee) who agrees to spy on a reclusive crime lord using his invitation to a tournament of champions as cover. Upon its release, the film went on to become a smash hit in Hong Kong. Sadly, Lee reportedly died of a cerebral edema, or brain swelling, caused by a hypersensitivity to the painkiller equigesic. shortly thereafter. I say reportedly because, even though it's been 45 years since his passing, many are still divided as to the true nature of Lee's demise.
For the making of the 1973 original film, John Saxon and martial artists Jim Kelly, Bob Wall and Bolo Yeung lent their expertise to the iconic fighting scenes. with Kien Shih making for a near-impregnable villain opposite Lee's legendary hero. As the film began making the rounds, it prompted a boom of martial arts studios to open in the States. Suddenly, everyone wanted to be Bruce Lee, or, learn to protect themselves in a fight with his memory as fuel for the fire. In the past, filmmakers such as Brett Ratner and Spike Lee had made attempts to recapture the magic of ENTER THE DRAGON, but had failed somewhere along the development process. Now, with movies like DEADPOOL 2 and ATOMIC BLONDE under his belt, Leitch feels like the best bet to get a remake of the classic up off the ground.
Of course, helming a remake of ENTER THE DRAGON won't be an easy task, even for Leitch. For starters, who among today's martial artists do you cast in the iconic role? For that matter, do you re-introduce Han, or perhaps showcase a new villain entirely? Let us know your casting ideas in the comments section below, and be sure to share your thoughts about this bold remake moving forward.