Back in June of 2017, Cinemax had announced that they gave a 10-episode straight-to-series order to 19th century crime drama inspired by an idea from famed martial artist Bruce Lee.
So far, the series has been described as “a gritty, action-packed crime drama set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown,” and will debut this coming April.
Warrior had long been supported by Fast & Furious director Justin Lin, and was considered to be an important project to Lee during his lifetime. Cinemax originally put the series into development during 2015 and had a pilot order in place by the summer of 2016.
Deadline recently reported that the series will be lead by Andrew Koji (Hall of Mirrors, Fast & Furious 6) and also stars Kieran Bew, Olivia Cheng, Dianne Doan, Dean Jagger, Langley Kirkwood, Hoon Lee, Christian McKay, Joe Taslim, Jason Tobin, Joanna Vanderham, Tom Weston-Jones and Perry Yung.
Warrior will follow Ah Sahm (Koji), a martial arts prodigy who emigrates from China to San Francisco under strange circumstances and becomes a hitman of sorts, for one of Chinatown’s most organized crime families. Based on the series’ trailer not much else has been revealed, although long time Bruce Lee fans can enjoy the series’ stunt choreography that is seemingly inspired by the legend himself.
According to an official statement released by Cinemax’s programming head, Kary Antholis, the series falls well within the company’s new initiative to create more original primetime content that “follows in the spirit of the tradition of adrenalized Cinemax dramas that we established with Strike Back and Banshee.”
Viewers can expect Cinemax’s new programming content to carry their signature high-octane, action, and pulpy aesthetic, while still maintaining that independent feel despite Antholis’ intentions to create more “cost-effective international co-productions.
An exclusive first look trailer for the much buzzed about series, can be viewed below: