SEATTLE — Barbie and Oppenheimer will have some competition from The Dragon this weekend as select theaters are re-releasing Bruce Lee’s 1973 hit “Enter the Dragon.”
The film has been restored in 4K and will play around the world in honor of the 50th anniversary of Bruce Lee’s death in 1973 at the age of 32.
He left a legacy that’s celebrated around the world and "Enter the Dragon" stands as one of the most profitable movies of all time. The movie cost an estimated $850,000 to make and grossed $400 million. The numbers have been updated to be the equivalent of over $2 billion adjusted for inflation as of 2022.
The martial arts legend is commemorated in Seattle where Lee spent his formative years. He taught martial arts to UW students and conceived the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute that’s still in operation. He learned English and met his future wife in Seattle.
People can still visit his favorite restaurant in Seattle’s Chinatown International District and can visit his grave at Lake View Cemetery on Capitol Hill in Seattle. His grave sits next to his son, Brandon Lee, who died on the set of a movie in 1993.
Lee’s legacy is preserved in a personal and permanent collection in Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum.
The Be Water My Friend exhibit is branded as the permanent home of the Bruce Lee Story and features personal artifacts that reveal more about Lee’s famous philosophies and iconic quotes. His entire book collection, featuring 2,800 titles, is on display and gives fans a look at what Bruce Lee was reading and learning during his time in Seattle.
Joel Barraquiel Tan is the executive director of the Wing Luke Museum and says it’s easy to celebrate Bruce Lee, as he is very much alive in spirit.
“Our permanent collection is an inviting place to surround yourself with Bruce Lee and the books and personal items that shaped him into the iconic figure so many people still think about daily,” Tan said.
The Wing Luke Museum recently expanded operations to six days a week and features a unique look at Lee’s legacy in Seattle and beyond.
His daughter Shannon Lee also warmed up the internet with the recent announcement of a new animated series “House Of Lee” that will debut in 2024. Shannon says the show is based on one of her father's legendary quotes, “Those who are unaware they are walking in darkness will never seek the light.”
The re-release of "Enter the Dragon" will run in 650 theaters across the country with the House of Lee trailer leading the way.