Ang Lee set to direct biopic about Bruce Lee with his son Mason starring in the lead role

Filmmaker Ang Lee is set to direct a biopic about Bruce Lee.

Bruce Lee was an iconic Chinese-American actor, director and martial arts expert, best known for his roles in Fist of Fury, Enter the Dragon, The Way of the Dragon, and the TV series The Green Hornet.

Lee collapsed and tragically died in 1973 from drinking too much water, a recent study into his death claimed.

The film will be produced by Sony’s 3000 Pictures with Oscar winner Ang Lee at the helm.

Ang's son, Mason, will play the lead.

Ang revealed to Deadline that he is keen to tell the story of the greatest martial artist in Hollywood history.

Golden Claw.

"Accepted as neither fully American nor fully Chinese, Bruce Lee was a bridge between East and West who introduced Chinese Kung Fu to the world, a scientist of combat and an iconic performing artist who revolutionised both the martial arts and action cinema," Ang said.

"I feel compelled to tell the story of this brilliant, unique human being who yearned for belonging, possessed tremendous power in a [61-kilogram] frame, and who, through tireless hard work, made impossible dreams into reality."

The film will be produced by Lawrence Grey, Shannon Lee, Ang Lee, Ben Everard and Brian Bell.

Studio bigwigs Elizabeth Gabler and Marisa Paiva are overseeing the project for the studio.

The currently untitled movie will see Ang reunited with Gabler, Paiva and Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman after working together on 2012's Life of Pi.

Life of Pi won Ang an Academy Award for Best Director, so we may see great things from a Hollywood dream-team partnership.

Garbler, who is president of Sony production house 3000 Pictures, revealed she is keen to see life returned to Bruce Lee. In story form, of course.

Imaginechina Limited / Alamy

"Bruce Lee is a longtime passion project for Ang and a deeply emotional story depicting the triumphs and conflicts of one of the foremost real-life action heroes of our time," she told Deadline.

"All of us at Sony and 3000 Pictures are proud to help Ang and his filmmaking team create what we believe will be an extraordinary theatrical event."

Taiwanese actor Mason Lee has been training for the last three years for his big martial arts moment in the spotlight.

But is that long enough to perfect his technique?

Well, we'll soon see if he can do one of Bruce Lee's signature moves, the famous for his one-inch punch.

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