Kung Fu Panda has a connection to Bruce Lee through its big reveal, which was the discovery that its title character made about the Dragon Scroll. This pivotal moment was taken from a story that was written by the martial arts legend himself.

Bruce Lee will always be known for his skills as a martial artist and his roles in five kung fu movies, but his talents weren’t limited to fighting and acting. There was a lot that he did behind the camera as well, such as directing and writing. Before becoming a star, Lee wrote a treatment for a TV series, but was never able to get it off the ground. Later, he came up with a story for a film titled The Silent Flute, but it didn’t become a reality until after his death. Lee also penned scripts for two of his movies, Way of the Dragon and Game of Death.

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One particular story that Lee had a hand in writing was paid homage to in Kung Fu Panda. Throughout the movie, Po (Jack Black) is on a quest to acquire the Dragon Scroll, which he is told will give him the knowledge he needs in order to defeat Tai Lung (Ian McShane). When Po finally does receive it, he becomes disappointed when he sees his reflection in it, and notices that it’s blank. After figuring out what it means, Po tells Tai Lung, “there is no secret ingredient; it's just you.” This is basically the same twist that was used in the 1978 martial arts film, Circle of Iron. In the movie, Jeff Cooper’s character pursues the Book of Enlightenment until he opens it up at the end and sees mirrors. Learning that the only enlightenment he needs comes from himself is the same message that Po gained from the Dragon Scroll.

circle of iron

Bruce Lee wasn’t in Circle of Iron, but he did receive a story credit. That’s because he originally co-wrote the film with his longtime friend, Stirling Silliphant. Titled The Silent Flute, the point of the movie was to illustrate the “great difference between Oriental and Western thinking.”  With The Silent Flute, Lee wanted to tell a deeply philosophical story about a martial artist who goes on a journey to enlightenment. His plan was for James Coburn to play the hero who goes on this quest, while Lee would have played various martial arts masters who give him guidance along the way.

Unfortunately, Lee never made The Silent Flute. Lee’s disagreements with Coburn caused them both to abandon the project. Silliphant tried to revisit it years later, but by this time, Lee had lost interest. It was retitled Circle of Iron. Interestingly, Lee’s role was given to David Carradine, the same actor to who Lee lost the role of the lead in Kung Fu. In any case, Lee is still very much a part of Circle of Iron because of his contribution to the story.

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