Why Warner Bros Almost Replaced Bruce Lee In Enter The Dragon
Warner Bros. almost replaced Bruce Lee as Enter the Dragon’s lead character. For the martial arts legend, the 1973 film was his long-awaited opportunity to become a superstar in the United States. Enter the Dragon was ultimately his first and only starring role in a Hollywood movie.
Lee had tried for years to get his big break in America. He did succeed in making an impression on audiences as martial arts expert Kato in ABC’s The Green Hornet show, but it wasn’t enough to get the attention he had wanted from Hollywood directors and producers. After numerous efforts to become a leading man in Hollywood failed to pan out, Lee tried his hand in the Hong Kong kung fu movie industry and was instantly launched to stardom with Golden Harvest’s The Big Boss. Thanks to the success he had achieved in Hong Kong, Lee eventually achieved his dream and signed a contract with Warner Bros. to star in Enter the Dragon, which was the movie that posthumously made him a household name.
Related: The Movie Bruce Lee Almost Made Instead Of Way Of The Dragon
Though Lee was always Warner Bros.’ first choice to play Enter the Dragon’s main character, there was a point in the movie’s development when it looked like Lee would have to be replaced. In multiple interviews, Enter the Dragon producer Fred Weintraub has discussed the challenges Warner Bros. had in getting the movie to happen, one of which being getting Lee to take the part. To do that, Golden Harvest founder Raymond Chow had to be convinced to co-finance the film. After that issue was resolved, another obstacle emerged, which was the list of conditions Lee had about creative control over Enter the Dragon. This caused some discussions about recasting Lee.
According to Bruce Lee: A Life by
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