Bruce Lee will forever be remembered as one of the most influential movie stars of his time – even though he only made five films – as well as a master of martial arts who had a tremendous impact on popular culture. Still, it’s a rarity for someone who passed away nearly 50 years to still have a presence in the contemporary space of pop culture, especially given how much entertainment media has been transformed.
It just speaks to the profound force that Bruce Lee was at the time of his rise. Still an instantly recognizable figure, his work in film transformed the depiction of Asian characters in western media. He introduced a true style of real on-screen action, and his blend of styles is widely credited as paving the way for the mixed martial arts scene. So, perhaps it isn’t a surprise that modern creatives are still drawing from Lee’s work and legacy.
Lee is present in even the newest forms of entertainment
Most famed for his on-screen choreography and distinct martial arts style, it won’t come as a surprise that much of Bruce Lee’s influence in the world of video gaming is in the fighting genre. He is the inspiration behind Maxi in Soulcalibur, Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat, and Fei Long in Street Fighter. You can also find several character skins across gaming to create a Bruce Lee character, as is the case in the latest collaboration for skins in Naraka: Bladepoint.
Most distinctly, however, Marshall Law in Tekken is the character who is the complete embodiment of Bruce Lee in gaming. From fighting style to available outfits and vocals, Marshall Law is the most akin to Bruce Lee, until you get to the icon himself. Even in the new space of online casino gaming and free spins no deposit offers, there is a Bruce Lee slot game at the ready. Found on Casumo Casino, a highly rated platform offering 20 spins on Book of Dead, you can find the official Bruce Lee game, featuring signature weapons and the star himself.
Lee’s works continue in scripts for the screen as well
Two years before his death, Bruce Lee was shopping his concept for a series entitled Ah Sahm, which was rejected by major studios in 1971. In 2015, however, his daughter successfully revived the idea, with the result being the show Warrior. Shannon Lee is the show’s executive producer, with the showrunner being Jonathan Tropper, who crafted the superb Cinemax show Banshee.
Having recently completed its second season, with a third on the way, it was billed as Cinemax’s primary show and now ranks highly on the streaming platform HBO Max. In fact, shortly after its arrival there in 2021, the two-season-old program quickly climbed into the upper echelons of the platform’s most-viewed shows. The series is certainly unique in American media, both in its focus, delivery, and representation, with the protagonist, played by Andrew Koji, taking on a distinctly Bruce Lee-esque persona and style.
In an age of entertainment media where audiences want to see stories from different communities to those who have dominated the screen for decades, Bruce Lee’s concept looked perfect on paper. Throw in a real dedication to his work by his daughter, and a showrunner who proved to be a nuanced supporter of representation and diversity in Banshee, and Warrior looks to be the perfect show for modern TV.
Bruce Lee wasn’t just an icon of his era, but clearly, he’s still a pop-culture favorite even 50 years later.
