The crime drama Warrior, based on the writings of Bruce Lee, is coming back to Cinemax for season two and according to Lee's daughter Shannon Lee, who serves as executive producer, viewers can expect a whole lot of action.
"Amazing action and actually a lot of complex storytelling, complex characters, a lot of conflict, and also very relevant themes and social issues. This show is just ripe with so many layers," Lee told Cheddar on Thursday.
Warrior is set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco's Chinatown in the late 19th century. The sophomore season follows rival crime families as they fight for dominance with a focus on Andrew Koji's character Ah Sahm who is a martial arts prodigy.
Executive producer Lee and creator Jonathan Tropper wanted Koji's character to not be a direct imitation of Bruce Lee, but to pay a little homage to the icon.
"I had to study a lot about the man, the legend. Read up on his books. I asked Shannon about what his energy was, who he was beneath that," Koji said. "I think as an actor, you can only do your take on a certain character. The reason why Shannon, Jonathan Tropper, etc., they gave me the role was because I was doing my own take on it, and I think that was the ultimate expression of Bruce Lee."
Bruce Lee was turned down by executives when he brought the initial idea for Warrior to them 50 years ago. His daughter was able to fulfill her father's legacy — something very special to her.
"It feels like a completion of some sort. It feels like justice in some regard, and I feel so thrilled to be able to do this not just for my father but also for fans, also for the world at large," Lee said. "I think this show, in particular for representation and storytelling, is such an important show really."
Season two of Warrior premieres on Cinemax on October 2.
