Bloodshot executive producer acquires rights to Bruce Lee-scripted The Silent Flute

Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Hong Kong-born entrepreneur and executive producer on Vin Diesel’s Bloodshot, Jason Kothari, has acquired all rights to The Silent Flue – the spiritual martial arts project co-written by martial arts icon Bruce Lee in 1970. The project is set up as a limited series with John Fusco (Marco Polo) as a screenwriter and executive producer.

Bruce Lee wasn’t just a once-in-a-lifetime martial artist – he was also clairvoyant too, it seems. The Silent Flue is set in a dystopian future after humanity has suffered from pandemics, fires, civil wars, and where all weapons and combat arts have been banned. The story follows a raw fighter who overcomes significant obstacles and losses to reach enlightenment and become the best fighter in the world. 

The script was a five-year collaboration between Bruce Lee, his friends, martial arts students, Oscar-winning writer Stirling Silliphant, and Oscar-winning actor James Coburn. The Silent Flute encapsulates Lee’s vision for the true essence of martial arts and the meaning of life. It’s said to be one of his boldest creative passion projects. Sadly, the script remained unfinished after Lee’s death in 1973 

Film producer Jason Kothari purchased The Silent Flute's rights from producer Paul Maslansky (Police Academy), Sasha Maslansky, Kurt Fehtke, and Arlene Howard. All be credited as executive producers in the upcoming project. 

Kothari is the former CEO of Valiant Entertainment, a U.S.-based superhero entertainment firm that secured a five-film deal with Sony Pictures.  Last year, Bloodshot was the first project from the five-film agreement to make a theatrical release. The film was based on the Valiant Comics character of the same name. Bloodshot is intended to be the first installment in a series of films set within a Valiant Comics shared cinematic universe. The film grossed $37 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic closing theaters across the globe, Sony made the film available digitally. 

More news to come regarding Bruce Lee's The Silent Flute – until then, you can check out the best Netflix action movies

Stephanie is a comic book historian and pop culture critic for publications including SYFYFANGRRLS, Marvel, The A.V. Club, Nerdist, Den of Geek, and Rotten Tomatoes. Stephanie is also a comic creator with three ongoing webcomics, Parenthood Activate!, But What If Though?, and Living Heroes. She made her Marvel debut with a short story featuring Monica Rambeau in Marvel’s Voices: Legacy. She recently made her DC Comics debut in Wonder Woman Black and Gold #2 and is co-writing the Nubia and the Amazons miniseries.

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