Cinemax hosted a special screening for their new upcoming series “Warrior” at Villain NYC in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The show is based on the writings of Bruce Lee from his personal notebooks and is based in San Francisco in 1878. The series follows Ah Sahm a martial arts prodigy who emigrated from China to San Francisco to find his sister during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown. The series is set to premiere on Cinemax on April 5th.
Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee told the audience before the screening that this series is 50 years in the making since she wanted the story to be authentic and be portrayed the right way. She also told us that the show highlights a rich and important story that hasn’t been seen before. Shannon explained that it has been a dream for her to do this for her father by honoring him, and that it’s ironic that one of the most popular male figures’ legacy is in the hands of a woman.
Following the screening of the first episode of the series, there was a panel discussion moderated by Sway Calloway. The panel consisted of kung fu and hip-hop notables including Nate Brailford (Executive Editor, Heroic Hollywood), Young Guru (Sound Engineer, Record Producer), Ana “Rockafella” Garcia (Co-Founder, Full Circle Prod Inc.), Uriah Hall (Martial Artist, UFC Fighter) and Shannon Lee.
The panel discussed the connections between hip-hop and kung fu, and how kung fu influenced hip-hop and a lot of its elements. They also discussed Bruce Lee’s influence on the culture of hip-hop and how he inspired many artists when they were growing up.
Photo Credit: Mario Visions
After the panel there was traditional Chinese food including baozi dumplings and bao bun sandwiches being served. There was also an art installation explaining different aspects of the series and also had pages from Bruce Lee’s notebook when he wrote about Ah Sahm’s story. The dance group Kinjaz concluded the screening event with a performance honoring the series.
