There was some buzz last week after our post about Benny Chan’s new move Shaolin getting officially sanctioned by the famous Shaolin temple. Since there were several questions about the film that were not answered in the Hollywood Reporter story, here’s a quick follow-up.

China is plunged into strife as feuding warlords try to expand their power by warring over neighboring lands. Fuelled by his success on the battlefield, young and arrogant Hao Jie sneers at Shaolin’s masters when he beats one of them in a duel. But the pride comes before a fall. When his own family is wiped out by a rival warlord, Hao is forced to take refuge with the monks. As the civil unrest spreads and the people suffer, Hao and the Shaolin masters are forced to take a fiery stand against the evil warlords. They launch a daring plan or rescue and escape.

Benny Chan’s new film SHAOLIN is getting a lot of buzz for several reasons. One, is that it has been officially sanctioned by the famous Shaolin Temple. Two, the big stars in the cast: Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Wu Jing, Fan Bingbing and Jackie Chan are all on board.

Andy Lau plays Hao Jie, a warlord who returns to Shaolin after his family is massacred by a rival warlord, played by Nicolas Tse. Jackie Chan holds a supporting role as a cook, but who is really a Shaolin master in disguise. Cory Yuen — the choreographer from Transporter, The One and most of Jet Li’s films — lends his talents to Shaolin.

The film was shot in a painstakingly-detailed, life-size replica of the original 5th century temple, and true to history, was burned down at the end.

No release date has yet been set, but is expected sometime in 2011. Teaser trailer after the jump:

Actor and singer Aarif Lee will portray Bruce Lee in upcoming film. (Kin Cheung/Associated Press)

Bruce Lee will be portrayed by a new Hong Kong film star, Aarif Lee (no relation). Twenty-three year-old Aarif Lee gained international attention with his debut film Echoes of the Rainbow which won four trophies at Hong Kong Film Awards in April, and an award at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year. Aarif told reporters that he had been preparing for this film by watching Bruce Lee’s films and training in Wing Chun Kung Fu.

Bruce Lee, My Brother’s Story is scheduled for release in November, 2010 to coincide with Bruce Lee’s 70th birthday on November 27th.

Nike announced their new basketball shoes for 2010, and we were surprised to see a Zoom Kobe V Bruce Lee version, inspired by Bruce Lee’s Game of Death and Enter the Dragon.

The distinctive yellow and black styling is straight out of Bruce Lee’s Game of Death outfit, but with the added detail of the bright red scratch marks obviously honoring the final scene from Enter the Dragon.

The Zoom Kobe V Bruce Lee shoes went on sale earlier this year and can be found online and at your favorite sports retailer. Visit the official Nike site.

Published by PRNewswire, June 17, 2010
Second-generation JKD instructor Tim Tackett adds to his in-depth book series on jeet kune do with Chinatown Jeet Kune Do Volume 2: Training Methods of Bruce Lee’s Martial Art. Building on JKD theories and concepts from the first volume, Tackett concentrates on practice and applications in this volume.

In Chinatown Jeet Kune Do Volume 2, Tackett makes the martial art work for individuals with a grab bag of drills guaranteed to enhance their proficiency in jeet kune do. There are 20 drills for the straight lead punch alone.

Chinatown Jeet Kune Do Volume 2 includes detailed photo sequences of diverse training methods and step-by-step instructions that will help readers develop JKD stances, footwork, attacks, defenses, strikes and kicks. It also features time-tested street drills that focus on individual techniques and helpful insights into JKD strategy and tactics for success in the ring and on the street.

Bruce Lee dreamed that jeet kune do would be an ever-evolving system that constantly adopted and discarded techniques based on their effectiveness. As a resource to new and longtime practitioners, Chinatown Jeet Kune Do Volume 2 gives readers an insider’s view into the learning process that defines Lee’s art of the intercepting fist. Chinatown Jeet Kune Do Volume 2 is an essential book for anyone interested in the evolution of the JKD experience.

Chinatown Jeet Kune Do Volume 2: Training Methods of Bruce Lee’s Martial Art
by Tim Tackett
$21.95 | Code 513
232 pgs. | color illustrations
ISBN: 978-0-89750-189-7
http://www.blackbeltmag.com/chinatown_jkd_2

About the Author
Tim Tackett is the author of Chinatown Jeet Kune Do: Esssential Elements of Bruce Lee’s Martial Art. Tackett began training in jeet kune do until 1971 when he joined Dan Inosanto’s backyard class. Today, Tackett and those original students make up the who’s who of modern jeet kune do.

About Black Belt
Black Belt is the world’s leading martial arts magazine and is dedicated to the classical and the eclectic martial arts. It also publishes instructional books and DVDs from a variety of disciplines, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, mixed martial arts, reality-based self-defense, grappling and more. For more on Black Belt and its line of martial arts books and DVDs, visit http://www.blackbeltmag.com.

Thanks to recent hits like Ip Man 1 and 2, Kung Fu cinema is making a comeback and gaining new respect. Read Article

Just published at YMAA: an excerpt from “A Sudden Dawn,” a novel of historical fiction by Goran Powell that chronicles the life of Da Mo, the Indian Monk who travelled to China and trained the monks of the Shaolin Temple in the arts that became Shaolin Kung Fu. Click to Read