New Bruce Lee biopic to be filmed in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: The daughter of acclaimed kung fu master and film star Bruce Lee will be filming a movie about her father in Penang.
Shannon Lee said the state was chosen as the production team was trying to replicate 1950s Hong Kong via the architecture here.
She described the film as "a bit of an origin story" of how Bruce came to achieve his many successes in life.
She said the film will tell about the influences his father had on his life as well as the time he trained with his instructors.
Lee said there will also be parts of his early school life, him being a champion cha- cha dancer and his experiences as a child actor.
"The title is Little Dragon, as you know his 'Xiao Long' or little dragon," she said in a press conference today with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Also present was producer Tim Kwok, production manager Michelle Lo and assistant production manager Jaye Chong.
Kwok meanwhile kept things close to his chest on the actor playing the young legend when asked about the matter.
He said a worldwide search of some 5,000 candidates have been whittled down to four and a decision will be made in the next few weeks.
"Someone who has a Malaysian background is one of the candidates," he said adding the actor has to play the role of a 17 or 18-year-old youth.
Kwok also said most of the two-hour film will be in English with some Cantonese and the project was a co-production between Hong Kong, USA and China film houses.
He said Little Dragon will be directed by British Academy Film Awards winner Shekhar Kapur.
He said filming here is expected to begin in late September until October or November.
"A portion of it will be shot in Penang and we will go on to Johor to continue filming and then to Guangzhou and Foshan in China.
"We hope to complete filming by the middle of next year, and depending on arrangement of the distribution (it) will be the end of next year when the movie is out," he added.
Lim meanwhile said he welcomed the filming of the movie in Penang and expressed his excitement over the movie.
"I am a big fan of your father," he told Shannon.