Editing Bruce Lee (section)

== Legacy and cultural impact ==
{{Further|Bruceploitation|Jeet Kune Do}}
[[File:Hong kong bruce lee statue.jpg|thumb|[[Statue of Bruce Lee (Hong Kong)|Bruce Lee statue in Hong Kong]]|alt=]]

Lee is considered by some commentators and martial artists to be the most influential martial artist of all time,<ref>[https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1710603-the-mma-world-pays-tribute-to-bruce-lee-40-years-after-his-death The MMA World Pays Tribute to Bruce Lee 40 Years After His Death] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802094641/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1710603-the-mma-world-pays-tribute-to-bruce-lee-40-years-after-his-death |date=August 2, 2019 }}. ''Bleacher Report''. July 20, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://www.liveabout.com/top-most-influential-martial-artists-2307765 The Greatest Martial Artists of All Time] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802094645/https://www.liveabout.com/top-most-influential-martial-artists-2307765 |date=August 2, 2019 }}. ''Liveabout''. May 24, 2019.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Bruce Lee Lives Documentary |url=http://www.fuel.tv/bruceleelives/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629135830/http://www.fuel.tv/bruceleelives|archive-date=June 29, 2012}}</ref> and a pop culture icon of the 20th century, who bridged the gap between [[Eastern world|East]] and West.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 11, 2009 |title=From Icon to Lifestyle, the Marketing of Bruce Lee |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/business/global/12iht-lee.html|access-date=June 3, 2011|archive-date=July 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718201748/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/business/global/12iht-lee.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=November 30, 2010 |title=Bruce Lee's 70th birth anniversary celebrated |work=The Hindu |location=India |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article923515.ece?homepage=true|url-status=live|access-date=June 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025084029/http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article923515.ece?homepage=true|archive-date=October 25, 2012}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Lee one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,991260-3,00.html |title=The Gladiator Bruce Lee |last=Stein |first=Joel |date=June 14, 1999 |magazine=Time|access-date=August 29, 2010 |page=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306175606/http://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,991260-3,00.html|archive-date=March 6, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A number of biography books have been written about Lee. A biography had sold more than {{nowrap|4 million}} copies by 1988.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beale |first1=Lewis |title=Move Over Bruce Lee; Jackie Chan Kicks Out |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-03-24-8803030271-story.html |access-date=June 8, 2020 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=March 24, 1988 |quote=A biography of his life has sold more than four million copies |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608181511/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-03-24-8803030271-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Action films ===
{{See also|Chopsocky|Hong Kong action cinema}}

Lee was largely responsible for launching the "[[kung fu]] craze" of the 1970s.<ref name="Desser">{{cite book |last1=Desser |first1=David |title=The Cinema of Hong Kong: History, Arts, Identity |date=2002 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=978-0-521-77602-8 |editor-last1=Fu |editor-first1=Poshek |pages=19–43 |chapter=The Kung Fu Craze: Hong Kong Cinema's First American Reception |access-date=June 10, 2020 |editor-last2=Desser |editor-first2=David |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sELZJ5vihJUC&pg=PA19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608071604/https://books.google.com/books?id=sELZJ5vihJUC&pg=PA19 |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Green">{{cite book |last1=Green |first1=Thomas A. |title=Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation |last2=Svinth |first2=Joseph R. |date=2010 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |isbn=978-1-59884-244-9 |pages=527–64 |chapter=Martial Media |access-date=June 10, 2020 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P-Nv_LUi6KgC&pg=PA527 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610104503/https://books.google.com/books?id=P-Nv_LUi6KgC&pg=PA527 |archive-date=June 10, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> He initially introduced kung fu to the West with [[American television]] shows such as ''The Green Hornet'' and ''Kung Fu'',<ref name="Green" /> before the "kung fu craze" began with the dominance of [[Hong Kong martial arts films]] in 1973.<ref name="Desser" /> Lee's success inspired a wave of Western [[martial arts films]] and television shows throughout the 1970s–1990s (launching the careers of Western martial arts stars such as [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]], [[Steven Seagal]] and [[Chuck Norris]]), as well as the more general integration of [[Asian martial arts]] into Western [[action films]] and television shows during the 1980s{{ndash}}1990s.<ref name="Green" />

''Enter the Dragon'' has been cited as one of the most influential [[action films]] of all time. Sascha Matuszak of ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]'' said ''Enter the Dragon'' "is referenced in all manner of media, the plot line and characters continue to influence storytellers today, and the impact was particularly felt in the revolutionizing way the film portrayed African-Americans, Asians and traditional martial arts."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Matuszak |first1=Sascha |date=July 1, 2015 |title=Bruce Lee's Last Words: Enter the Dragon and the Martial Arts Explosion |url=http://fightland.vice.com/blog/bruce-lees-last-words-enter-the-dragon-and-the-martial-arts-explosion|access-date=March 23, 2020 |website=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|archive-date=January 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102120348/http://fightland.vice.com/blog/bruce-lees-last-words-enter-the-dragon-and-the-martial-arts-explosion|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kuan-Hsing Chen and Beng Huat Chua cited [[fight scenes]] in Lee's films such as ''Enter the Dragon'' as being influential for the way they pitched "an elemental story of good against evil in such a spectacle-saturated way".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chen |first1=Kuan-Hsing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q4d4CAAAQBAJ&pg=PT489 |title=The Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Reader |last2=Chua |first2=Beng Huat |date=2015 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-134-08396-1 |page=489|access-date=June 10, 2020|archive-date=June 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606083852/https://books.google.com/books?id=q4d4CAAAQBAJ&pg=PT489|url-status=live}}</ref>

A number of action filmmakers around the world have cited Bruce Lee as a formative influence on their careers, including [[Hong Kong action film]] directors such as [[Jackie Chan]]<ref name="Birthday">{{cite web |date=November 27, 2020 |title=Happy 80th Birthday Bruce Lee! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OneqSB_oeJk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128225852/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OneqSB_oeJk |archive-date=November 28, 2020 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |website=YouTube |publisher=BruceLee.com}}</ref> and [[John Woo]],<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=January 24, 2010 |title=How Bruce Lee Changed the World |url=https://press.discovery.com/asia-pacific/dsc/programs/how-bruce-lee-changed-world/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124015816/http://press.discovery.com/asia-pacific/dsc/programs/how-bruce-lee-changed-world/ |archive-date=January 24, 2010 |access-date=May 16, 2022 |website=[[Discovery Channel]]}}</ref><ref name=":9" /> and Hollywood filmmakers such as [[Quentin Tarantino]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fitzmaurice |first=Larry |date=August 28, 2015 |title=Quentin Tarantino: The Complete Syllabus of His Influences and References |url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/08/quentin-tarantino-the-complete-syllabus.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 16, 2022 |website=[[Vulture.com]] |language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517042305/https://www.vulture.com/2015/08/quentin-tarantino-the-complete-syllabus.html|archive-date=May 17, 2022}}</ref> and [[Brett Ratner]].<ref name=":9">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecTPwICYeBU |title=How Bruce Lee Changed the World |date=May 17, 2009 |type=television documentary |publisher=[[History Channel]] / [[Discovery Channel]] |access-date=May 16, 2022 |via=YouTube |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516132750/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecTPwICYeBU&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Martial arts and combat sports ===
[[Jeet Kune Do]], a [[hybrid martial arts]] philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that was founded by Lee, is sometimes credited with paving the way for the combat sport [[mixed martial arts]] (MMA).<ref name="auto2">{{cite book |author=Chris Crudelli |title=The Way of the Warrior |year=2008 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley Ltd |pages=316–319 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QlI0fxSm1vgC |isbn=978-1-4053-3750-2|access-date=February 8, 2023|archive-date=February 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210073859/https://books.google.com/books?id=QlI0fxSm1vgC|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[https://variety.com/2019/film/features/bruce-lee-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-dan-inosanto-1203287237/ Bruce Lee's Protégé Recalls His Humility Amid 'Once Upon a Time' Criticism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816130517/https://variety.com/2019/film/features/bruce-lee-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-dan-inosanto-1203287237/|date=August 16, 2019}}. ''Variety''. July 31, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://magazine.fighttimes.com/dana-white-and-the-future-of-ufc/ Dana White and the future of UFC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007145434/https://magazine.fighttimes.com/dana-white-and-the-future-of-ufc/|date=October 7, 2018}}. ''Fight Times''. October 1, 2004.</ref><ref name="Black-Belt">{{cite journal |last1=Beasley |first1=Jerry |date=September 2003 |title=The Man Who Changed the World: How Bruce Lee Continues to Influence the American Martial Arts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FtwDAAAAMBAJ |journal=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]] |publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc. |volume=41 |issue=9 |pages=54–9 |access-date=April 12, 2021 |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211002458/https://books.google.com/books?id=FtwDAAAAMBAJ |url-status=live}}</ref> The concept of mixed martial arts was popularized in the West by Bruce Lee via his system of Jeet Kune Do. Lee believed that "the best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style, to be formless, to adopt an individual's own style and not following the system of styles."<ref name="Wickert, Marc 2004">Wickert, Marc. 2004. ''Dana White and the future of UFC''. kucklepit.com. See [[wikiquote:Dana White|Wikiquotes]] for the text.</ref>

In 2004, [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]] (UFC) founder [[Dana White]] called Lee the "father of mixed martial arts" and stated: "If you look at the way Bruce Lee trained, the way he fought, and many of the things he wrote, he said the perfect style was no style. You take a little something from everything. You take the good things from every different discipline, use what works, and you throw the rest away".<ref name="Wickert, Marc 2004" />

Lee was largely responsible for many people taking up martial arts.<ref name="Black-Belt" /> These include numerous fighters in [[combat sports]] who were inspired by Lee; [[boxing]] champion [[Sugar Ray Leonard]] said he perfected his [[jab]] by watching Lee, boxing champion [[Manny Pacquiao]] compared his fighting style to Lee, and [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]] champion [[Conor McGregor]] has compared himself to Lee and said that he believes Lee would have been a champion in the UFC if he were to compete in the present day.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Akintoye |first1=Dotun |date=June 6, 2020 |title=Could Bruce Lee win a real fight? |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/29266542/could-bruce-lee-win-real-fight|access-date=June 10, 2020 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |publisher=[[ESPN Inc.]]|archive-date=June 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609164026/https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/29266542/could-bruce-lee-win-real-fight|url-status=live}}</ref>

Lee inspired the foundation of American full-contact [[kickboxing]] tournaments by [[Joe Lewis (martial artist)|Joe Lewis]]<ref name="Black-Belt" /> and [[Benny Urquidez]] in the 1970s.<ref name="Black-Belt" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=Mathew |title=Benny 'The Jet' Urquidez: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and mixing the martial arts |url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2020/4/11/21199346/benny-the-jet-urquidez-bruce-lee-jackie-chan-and-mixing-the-martial-arts |access-date=March 21, 2021 |work=[[Bloody Elbow]] |date=April 11, 2020 |archive-date=October 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011213121/https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2020/4/11/21199346/benny-the-jet-urquidez-bruce-lee-jackie-chan-and-mixing-the-martial-arts |url-status=live}}</ref> American taekwondo pioneer [[Jhoon Goo Rhee]] learned from Lee what he calls the "accupunch", which he incorporated into American taekwondo. Rhee later coached [[heavyweight boxing]] champion [[Muhammad Ali]] and taught him the "accupunch", which Ali used to [[Muhammad Ali vs. Richard Dunn|knockout Richard Dunn]] in 1975.<ref name="Rhee" /> According to heavyweight boxing champion [[Mike Tyson]], "everyone wanted to be Bruce Lee" in the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tyson |first1=Mike |author1-link=Mike Tyson |title=Everyone Wanted to be Bruce Lee |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4GidINB4Zw |website=YouTube |publisher=Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson |access-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109065059/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4GidINB4Zw |url-status=live}}</ref>

Current [[List of UFC champions#Heavyweight Championship|UFC Heavyweight Champion]] [[Jon Jones]] cited Lee as inspiration,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Razvi |first1=Sam |title=Exclusive interview with UFC champion Jon Jones |url=https://www.coachmag.co.uk/sport/1461/exclusive-interview-with-ufc-champion-jon-jones |website=Coach Mag |access-date=June 16, 2020 |date=March 19, 2012 |archive-date=June 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616005357/https://www.coachmag.co.uk/sport/1461/exclusive-interview-with-ufc-champion-jon-jones |url-status=live}}</ref> with Jones known for frequently using the oblique kick to the knee, a technique that was popularized by Lee.<ref name="Fantaousakis">{{cite web |last1=Fantaousakis |first1=Kostas |title=UFC 232 – Jones vs. Gustafsson 2: Moves to look for |url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2018/12/29/18158029/ufc-232-jones-vs-gustafsson-2-moves-to-look-for-breakdown-technique-oblique-kicks-jon-bones-gus |website=[[Bloody Elbow]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |access-date=June 16, 2020 |date=December 29, 2018 |archive-date=June 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616005356/https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2018/12/29/18158029/ufc-232-jones-vs-gustafsson-2-moves-to-look-for-breakdown-technique-oblique-kicks-jon-bones-gus |url-status=live}}</ref> Former [[List of UFC champions#Middleweight Championship|UFC Middleweight Champion]] [[Anderson Silva]] has also cited Lee as an inspiration.<ref name="Birthday" /> Numerous other UFC fighters have cited Lee as their inspiration, with several referring to him as a "godfather" or "grandfather" of MMA.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stets |first1=Michael |title=The MMA World Pays Tribute to Bruce Lee 40 Years After His Death |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1710603-the-mma-world-pays-tribute-to-bruce-lee-40-years-after-his-death |access-date=June 15, 2020 |work=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=July 20, 2013 |archive-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619051303/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1710603-the-mma-world-pays-tribute-to-bruce-lee-40-years-after-his-death |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Racial barriers and stereotypes ===
Lee is credited with helping to change the way [[Asians]] were presented in [[American films]].<ref name="Time 100" /> He defied [[Stereotypes of East Asians in the United States|Asian stereotypes]], such as the [[Stereotypes of East Asians in the United States#Emasculation and celibacy|emasculated Asian male]] stereotype.<ref name=":10" /> His friend Amy Sanbo recalls that, "In a time when so many Asians were trying to convince themselves they were white, Bruce was so proud to be Chinese he was busting with it.{{sfn|Polly|2018|pp=111–112}} In contrast to earlier stereotypes which depicted Asian men as emasculated, childlike, [[coolies]], or [[domestic servants]], Lee demonstrated that Asian men could be "tough, strong and sexy" according to [[University of Michigan]] lecturer Hye Seung Chung. In turn, Lee's popularity inspired a new Asian stereotype, the martial artist.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 23, 2005 |title=In Bruce Lee's Shadow: Asians Struggle to Create New Hollywood Images |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=771790&page=1 |access-date=May 17, 2022 |website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517053914/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=771790&page=1 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In North America, his films initially played largely to [[African-American|black]], [[Asian Americans|Asian]] and [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]] audiences. Within black communities, Lee's popularity was second only to heavyweight boxer [[Muhammad Ali]] in the 1970s. As Lee broke through to the mainstream, he became a rare [[non-white]] movie star in a Hollywood industry dominated by white actors at the time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Early |first=Mwanafunzi Gerald |date=January 17, 1975 |title=The Fists of Bruce Lee |pages=4 |work=[[The Daily Pennsylvanian]] |location=[[Philadelphia]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-daily-pennsylvanian-jan-17-1975-p-4/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 7, 2022 |quote=Bruce Lee, at this time, rates behind only Muhamnad Ali as the most popular personality for Black folks. (...) Lee's films have played largely to Black, Puerto Rican, and Chinese audiences in America. Indeed, when "The Return of the Dragon" was released it grossed an unbelievable $185,000 in one week at two theaters in the Black section of Chicago (...) He became an image, a very powerful, very beautiful, non-white image in a world where only Liv Ullman and Robert Redford are supposed to be beautiful. |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407224040/https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-daily-pennsylvanian-jan-17-1975-p-4/ |url-status=live}}</ref> According to rapper [[LL Cool J]], Lee's films were the first time many non-white American children such as himself had seen a non-white [[action hero]] on the big screen in the 1970s.<ref name=":9" />

=== Popular culture ===
Numerous entertainment and sports figures around the world have cited Lee as a major influence on their work, including martial arts actors such as [[Jackie Chan]]<ref name="Birthday" /> and [[Donnie Yen]],<ref name=":9" /> actor-bodybuilder [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]],<ref name=":9" /> actor-comedians such as [[Eddie Murphy]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kilkenny |first1=Katie |last2=Beresford |first2=Trilby |date=October 26, 2019 |title=Eddie Murphy Talks Channeling Bruce Lee and Obama's Request for Him |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/eddie-murphy-reveals-favorite-comedians-obamas-request-him-1250278 |url-status=live |access-date=January 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202230138/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/eddie-murphy-reveals-favorite-comedians-obamas-request-him-1250278 |archive-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref> and [[Eddie Griffin]],<ref name="Birthday" /> actresses such as [[Olivia Munn]] and [[Dianne Doan]],<ref name="Birthday" /> musicians such as [[Steve Aoki]] and [[Rohan Marley]],<ref name="Birthday" /> [[rappers]] such as LL Cool J and [[Wu-Tang Clan]] leader [[RZA]],<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" /> bands such as [[Gorillaz]],<ref name=":9" /> comedians such as [[W. Kamau Bell]]<ref name="Birthday" /> and [[Margaret Cho]],<ref name=":9" /> basketball players [[Stephen Curry]] and [[Jamal Murray]], skaters [[Tony Hawk]] and [[Christian Hosoi]], and American footballer [[Kyler Murray]], among others.<ref name="Birthday" />

Bruce Lee influenced several comic book writers, notably [[Marvel Comics]] founder [[Stan Lee]],<ref name=":8" /> who considered Bruce Lee to be a [[superhero]] without a costume.<ref name=":9" /> Shortly after his death, Lee inspired the Marvel characters [[Shang-Chi]] (debuted 1973) and [[Iron Fist (character)|Iron Fist]] (debuted 1974) as well as the comic book series ''[[The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu]]'' (debuted 1974). According to Stan Lee, any character that has been a martial artist since then owes their origin to Bruce Lee in some form.<ref name=":9" />

Bruce Lee was a formative influence on the development of [[breakdancing]] in the 1970s. Early breakdancing pioneers such as the [[Rock Steady Crew]] drew inspiration from kung fu moves, as performed by Lee, inspiring dance moves such as the [[Windmill (b-boy move)|windmill]] among other breaking moves.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Neal |first1=Mark Anthony |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VvYv0Sr05FAC&pg=PA39 |title=That's the Joint!: The Hip-hop Studies Reader |last2=Forman |first2=Murray |date=2004 |publisher=[[Psychology Press]] |isbn=978-0-415-96919-2 |pages=39 |access-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211002500/https://books.google.com/books?id=VvYv0Sr05FAC&pg=PA39#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":9" />

In India, Lee films had an influence on [[Hindi cinema|Hindi]] [[masala film]]s.<ref name="funky">{{cite book |last1=Stadtman |first1=Todd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T0DXoQEACAAJ |title=Funky Bollywood: The Wild World of 1970s Indian Action Cinema |date=2015 |publisher=FAB Press |isbn=978-1-903254-77-6 |access-date=June 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610022108/https://books.google.com/books?id=T0DXoQEACAAJ |archive-date=June 10, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> After the success of Lee films such as ''Enter the Dragon'' in India,<ref>{{cite news |date=September 15, 1979 |title=Bruce Lee storms Bombay once again with Return of the Dragon |work=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19790915-bruce-lee-storms-bombay-once-again-with-return-of-the-dragon-822544-2014-02-21 |url-status=live |access-date=January 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716194756/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/films/story/19790915-bruce-lee-storms-bombay-once-again-with-return-of-the-dragon-822544-2014-02-21 |archive-date=July 16, 2018}}</ref> ''[[Deewaar]]'' (1975) and later Hindi films incorporated fight scenes inspired by 1970s Hong Kong martial arts films up until the 1990s.<ref name="Heide">{{cite book |last=Heide |first=William Van der |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k3HTdu1HuWQC&pg=PA148 |title=Malaysian Cinema, Asian Film: Border Crossings and National Cultures |date=2002 |publisher=[[Amsterdam University Press]] |isbn=9789053565803 |access-date=June 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605230859/https://books.google.com/books?id=k3HTdu1HuWQC&pg=PA148 |archive-date=June 5, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[Indian film]] star [[Aamir Khan]], when he was a child, "almost every house had a poster of Bruce Lee" in 1970s [[Bombay]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Edmund |date=April 16, 2018 |title=Bollywood icon Aamir Khan, in Hong Kong, on being a star in China |url=https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2141949/bollywood-icon-aamir-khan-talks-secret-superstar-his-chinese |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417025556/http://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2141949/bollywood-icon-aamir-khan-talks-secret-superstar-his-chinese |archive-date=April 17, 2018 |access-date=May 16, 2022 |website=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref>

In Japan, the [[manga]] and [[anime]] franchises ''[[Fist of the North Star]]'' (1983–1988) and ''[[Dragon Ball]]'' (1984–1995) were inspired by Lee films such as ''Enter the Dragon''.<ref name="ADVBuronson">{{cite web |title=New ''Fist of the North Star'': Interview with Buronson |url=http://www.advfilms.com/titles/fistofthenorthstar/interview.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070218190038/http://www.advfilms.com/titles/fistofthenorthstar/interview.html |archive-date=February 18, 2007 |access-date=May 5, 2010 |work=ADV Films}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/dragonballzlegen00iked |title=The Dragon Ball Z Legend: The Quest Continues |date=2004 |publisher=DH Publishing Inc |isbn=978-0-9723124-9-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/dragonballzlegen00iked/page/n8 7] |url-access=registration}}</ref> In turn, ''Fist of the North Star'' and especially ''Dragon Ball'' are credited with setting the trends for popular [[shōnen manga]] and anime from the 1980s onwards.<ref name="Geek">{{cite news |last1=Jensen |first1=K. Thor |date=October 2, 2018 |title=The Absurd, Brilliant Violence of ''Fist Of The North Star'' |work=[[Geek.com]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |url=https://www.geek.com/games/the-absurd-brilliant-violence-of-fist-of-the-north-star-1753469/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011110338/https://www.geek.com/games/the-absurd-brilliant-violence-of-fist-of-the-north-star-1753469/ |archive-date=October 11, 2018}}</ref><ref name="ANNJT">{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Jason |author-link=Jason Thompson (writer) |date=March 10, 2011 |title=Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga – ''Dragon Ball'' |work=[[Anime News Network]] |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/house-of-1000-manga/2011-03-10 |url-status=live |access-date=January 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916075738/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/house-of-1000-manga/2011-03-10 |archive-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref> [[Spike Spiegel]], the protagonist from the 1998 anime ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'', is seen practicing Jeet Kune Do and quotes Lee.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Session #8: Waltz for Venus |series=Cowboy Bebop |network=Sunrise |date=December 12, 1998}}</ref>

Bruce Lee films such as ''Game of Death'' and ''Enter the Dragon'' were the foundation for [[video game genres]] such as [[beat 'em up]] [[action games]] and [[fighting games]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gill |first1=Patrick |date=September 24, 2020 |title=Street Fighter and basically every fighting game exist because of Bruce Lee |url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/2020/9/24/21440150/bruce-lee-movies-street-fighter-fighting-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310053038/https://www.polygon.com/gaming/2020/9/24/21440150/bruce-lee-movies-street-fighter-fighting-games |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |access-date=March 24, 2021 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Stuart |first1=Keith |date=April 9, 2014 |title=Bruce Lee, UFC and why the martial arts star is a video game hero |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/apr/09/bruce-lee-ea-sports- |url-status=live |access-date=July 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517200634/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/apr/09/bruce-lee-ea-sports- |archive-date=May 17, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kapell |first1=Matthew Wilhelm |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6s_-CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA166 |title=The Play Versus Story Divide in Game Studies: Critical Essays |date=2015 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-1-4766-2309-2 |page=166 |access-date=June 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606083910/https://books.google.com/books?id=6s_-CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA166 |archive-date=June 6, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The first beat 'em up game, ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung-Fu Master]]'' (1984), was based on Lee's ''Game of Death''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spencer |first1=Spanner |date=February 6, 2008 |title=The Tao of Beat-'em-ups |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-tao-of-beat-em-ups-article?page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415175527/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-tao-of-beat-em-ups-article?page=2 |archive-date=April 15, 2021 |access-date=July 20, 2020 |work=[[Eurogamer]] |page=2}}</ref> The ''[[Street Fighter]]'' [[video game franchise]] (1987 debut) was inspired by ''Enter the Dragon'', with the gameplay centered around an international fighting tournament, and each character having a unique combination of ethnicity, nationality and fighting style; ''Street Fighter'' went on to set the template for all fighting games that followed.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thrasher |first1=Christopher David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=77zwCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA208 |title=Fight Sports and American Masculinity: Salvation in Violence from 1607 to the Present |date=2015 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-1823-4 |page=208 |access-date=June 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606082039/https://books.google.com/books?id=77zwCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA208 |archive-date=June 6, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Since then, nearly every major fighting game franchise has had a character based on Bruce Lee.<ref name=":9" /> In April 2014, Lee was named a featured character in the combat [[sports video game]] ''[[EA Sports UFC]]'', and is playable in multiple weight classes.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jason Nawara |date=April 6, 2014 |title=Bruce Lee revealed as the hidden EA UFC character, release date confirmed |url=http://mmanuts.com/news/bruce-lee-revealed-hidden-ea-ufc-character-release-date-confirmed/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408225913/http://mmanuts.com/news/bruce-lee-revealed-hidden-ea-ufc-character-release-date-confirmed/ |archive-date=April 8, 2014 |access-date=April 6, 2014 |publisher=mmanuts.com}}</ref>

In France, the [[Yamakasi]] cited the martial arts philosophy of Bruce Lee as an influence on their development of the [[parkour]] discipline in the 1990s, along with the acrobatics of Jackie Chan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Parkour History |work=Parkour Generations |url=https://parkourgenerations.com/parkour-history/ |access-date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531105308/https://parkourgenerations.com/parkour-history/ |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Angel2">{{cite book |last1=Angel |first1=Julie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iAxjDAAAQBAJ |title=Breaking the Jump: The Secret Story of Parkour's High Flying Rebellion |date=June 16, 2016 |publisher=[[Aurum Press]] |isbn=978-1-78131-554-5 |access-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211002443/https://books.google.com/books?id=iAxjDAAAQBAJ |url-status=live}}</ref> The Yamakasi considered Lee to be the "unofficial president" of their group.<ref name="Angel2" />

''[[The Legend of Bruce Lee]]'' (2008), a [[Chinese television drama]] series based on the life of Bruce Lee, has been watched by over {{Nowrap|400 million}} viewers in China, making it the most-watched Chinese television drama series of all time, as of 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=Hollywood Stage |date=November 23, 2017 |title=Ted Duran, a star in The Legend of Bruce Lee TV series is becoming known for his adaptability in Films & TV around the world |url=http://hollywoodstagemagazine.com/2017/11/23/ted-duran-one-of-the-stars-of-the-legend-of-bruce-lee-tv-series-wanted-in-china/ |access-date=May 16, 2022 |website=Hollywood Stage Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=May 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523135632/https://hollywoodstagemagazine.com/2017/11/23/ted-duran-one-of-the-stars-of-the-legend-of-bruce-lee-tv-series-wanted-in-china/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Largest Bruce Lee Museum opens in S. China |url=http://www.china.org.cn/culture/2008-11/11/content_16746809.htm |access-date=May 16, 2022 |work=[[China.org.cn]] |publisher=[[China Internet Information Center]] |date=November 11, 2008 |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516184338/http://www.china.org.cn/culture/2008-11/11/content_16746809.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2022, it was announced that Taiwanese filmmaker [[Ang Lee]] was directing a biopic on Bruce Lee. Ang Lee's son [[Mason Lee]] was cast to star in the movie, while Bruce Lee's daughter, [[Shannon Lee]], is set to produce the film.<ref name="Blaine Henry">{{cite web |url=http://doublehammerfist.com/2022/11/30/bruce-lee-biopic-in-the-works-starring-mason-lee-and-directed-by-ang-lee/ |title=Bruce Lee Biopic in the works starring Mason Lee and directed by Ang Lee |publisher=doublehammerfist.com |author=Blaine Henry |date=November 30, 2022|access-date=November 30, 2022|archive-date=November 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130202606/https://doublehammerfist.com/2022/11/30/bruce-lee-biopic-in-the-works-starring-mason-lee-and-directed-by-ang-lee/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2024, there was a proposal made to erect a statue of Bruce Lee in San Francisco. Lee's daughter is in favor of erecting it stating, "the Bay Area is a very rich and vital part of our legacy."<ref name="Mary Lee 2024"/>

=== Tributes ===
[[Underworld (band)|Underworld]] pay tribute to Bruce Lee in their song [[Bruce Lee (song)|Bruce Lee]] from their 1999 album [[Beaucoup Fish]], a blend of rock, techno, and guitar riffs. According to DAFT FM, the lyrics can be interpreted as encouraging the idea of self-actualization and individuals to be true to themselves, thus paying tribute to Lee's philosophy of empowering oneself and living life to the fullest.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bruce Lee Lyrics |url=https://daft.fm/songs/underworld-bruce-lee/ |access-date=April 14, 2024 |website=www.daft.fm |language=en-US |archive-date=May 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523004528/https://daft.fm/songs/underworld-bruce-lee/ |url-status=live}}</ref>{{rs|date=May 2025}}

=== Commercials ===
Though Bruce Lee did not appear in commercials during his lifetime, his likeness and image has since appeared in hundreds of commercials around the world.<ref name=":9" /> [[Nokia]] launched an Internet-based campaign in 2008 with staged "documentary-looking" footage of Bruce Lee playing ping-pong with his [[nunchaku]] and also igniting matches as they are thrown toward him. The videos went viral on YouTube, creating confusion as some people believed them to be authentic footage.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://agency.asia/issue-02/126-inter%C2%ADviews/237-jwt-beijing.html |title=JWT Beijing and Shanghai |last=Agency.Asia |website=agency.asia |access-date=April 8, 2016 |archive-date=May 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526202207/http://agency.asia/issue-02/126-inter%C2%ADviews/237-jwt-beijing.html |url-status=live}}</ref>