Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonis getting the TV show treatment, a new report reveals. The fourth installment in Wang Dulu’sCrane-IronPentalogy,Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonwas first adapted into a movie by director Ang Lee in 2000, with Chow Yun-Fat andMichelle Yeoh starring. The story chronicles the adventures of star-crossed warriors Yu Shu Lien and Master Li Mu Bai after the theft of a legendary sword. Lee’s take on the source material, which includes elements from other novels in theCrane-Ironseries, was followed by a sequel subtitledSword of Destinyin 2016.
Deadlinenow reports thataCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonTV show is in development at Prime Video. The series hails from writer and executive producer Jason Ning, executive producer Ron Moore, and Sony Pictures Television. Also producing the show are Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment, Maril Davis of Tall Ship Productions, Johnny Levin, with Hong Wang and Qin Wang also producing for the Wang Dulu Estate. Ying Lou is also on board as a co-executive producer.
What This Means For Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The TV Show Follows Ang Lee’s Acclaimed Adaptation
Lee’s version ofCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonwas a major success in 2000, earning glowing reviews from critics for its strong performances, stunning action, and gorgeous visuals.The movie was also nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, ultimately walking away with four for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, and Best Foreign Language Film. The film was also a box office success, grossing $213 million worldwide on a $17 million budget.
10 Great Martial Arts Movies Like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a staple martial arts film with similar fight sequences found in other films using wire-fu techniques.
ThoughSword of Destinyfrom director Yeun Woo-Ping was critically panned and didn’t achieve the same success at the box office,Lee’s legendary adaptation still sets a very high bar for the TV show. Both Ning and Moore have a great deal of experience in the world of TV, however, with the former producingLuciferandThe Brothers Sun, while the latter producedBattlestar Galactica,Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, andStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Moore already has an existing relationship with Amazon and Sony, as he is also the showrunner forPrime Video’s live-actionGod of WarTV show, which remains in development.
Our Take On The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon TV Show
Why A TV Show Could Be A Great Fit For The Source Material
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, in many ways, makes sense as a TV show. The story is a sprawling fantasy epic, and a TV show format will mean an expansion on characters, ideas, and story threads that the movie didn’t include. What’s more,if the show is a success, there are four more novels to pull from for future seasons, with a clear opportunity to expand the story’s scope with new characters and settings.
Yeoh and Chow were a strong duo in the original film, and they leave big shoes to fill for whoever ends up getting cast as Shu Lien and Mu Bai.
Ning and Moore have the credentials to suggest theCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonTV show is in good hands, butcasting, writing, and directing will be crucial to get right as well. Yeoh and Chow were a strong duo in the original film, and they leave big shoes to fill for whoever ends up getting cast as Shu Lien and Mu Bai. Though Lee’s original movie still stands up, aCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonTV show is an exciting proposition.
