Ang Lee hopes to make Bruce Lee biopic in the near future

Ang Lee is hoping to make progress on his planned Bruce Lee biopic.

The 'Brokeback Mountain' director is set to helm a new film about the martial arts legend – with his own actor son Mason Lee in the lead role – and wants to get started on the project in the near future after taking many years to "connect" to the story.

Ang told Variety: "It took me years to think of a way to crack it, to connect to it. Character-wise, I couldn't be more different from Bruce Lee but there are aspects I relate to.

"He had identity issues: he was always yearning to belong, to find his place. That really speaks to me.

"Neither of us are getting any younger. So I hope I get to make this movie soon."

Lee had a natural connection with actors from the start of his career that enabled him to discover new stars including Tobey Maguire, Elijah Wood and Katie Holmes – who all featured in his 1997 picture 'The Ice Storm' as young performers.

He explained: "I could understand how they feel and talk to them in the same kind of language. For me, working with actors was easy. It took me a long time to pick up the visual skills but directing actors came natural to me.

"Sometimes, instead of giving them direction, I ask them questions. That inspires them to think and shape their character and they just shine."

It has been 40 years since Ang graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and he explained that his directorial career feels akin to a "continuation of school".

The 'Life of Pi' director said: "Whether 40 years or 15 years or even two months, my career feels like a continuation of school. I like to think I'm always in film school, making different projects and exploring how to make movies. It's just the world is now my school."