Amazon has snatched up another beloved story to tell on the small screen with news from Deadline that the streaming service is getting to work on adapting Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the book from Wang Dulu, and the fourth tale to the Crane Iron book series. The story gained worldwide attention in 2000 when director Ang Lee adapted it, winning four Oscars and being nominated for Best Picture.
The book was published between 1941 and 1942 and follows two warriors, Shu Lien, and Mu Bai, tasked with recovering a legendary sword called Green Destiny after a thief steals it. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century Imperial China, Lee’s wuxia film gained iconic status for its incredible wirework in its set pieces, which will be reapplied for Amazon’s iteration.
According to the show’s official logline, “Amidst stunning landscapes and spectacular action, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon follows Shu Lien and Mu Bai, two star-crossed warriors, as they struggle between forbidden love and the pull of modernity — caught between preserving their way of life or embracing a future together.”
The project is being penned by Jason Ning, also aboard as executive producer after writing Lucifer and the immensely overlooked sci-fi series The Expanse. Battlestar Galactica legend and Outlander creator Ronald D. Moore is also aboard as executive producer, adding to his to-do pile with Amazon along with the God of War adaptation that’s been long in development, having already greenlit two seasons to the show. Should this news get you hankering for a well-choreographed scrap, check out our list of the best kung fu films ever here.
