'Warrior' Gets Season 3 Premiere Date On Max; Andrew Koji teases action-packed return

EXCLUSIVE: The original Max series warrior premieres its third season with two new episodes on Thursday, June 29. Deadline has your exclusive first look at the teaser trailer above.

warrior is a gritty, action-packed crime drama set during the brutal Tong Wars of late 19th century San Francisco Chinatown, and is based on the writings of martial arts legend Bruce Lee.

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Season 3 begins in the aftermath of the race riots that rocked Chinatown in Season 2. Mai Ling (Dianne Doan) uses her government connections to consolidate power. At the same time, Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) and the Hop Wei must find new ways to survive.

warrior also stars Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, Kieran Bew, Dean Jagger, Tom Weston-Jones, Hoon Lee, Perry Yung, Langley Kirkwood, Miranda Raison, Chen Tang, Chelsea Muirhead, Mark Dacascos and Joe Taslim.

Co-showrunner and executive producer Josh Stoddard teases where the show will pick up after the events of the season 2 finale.

“The riot at the end of last season has drastically changed the playing field in Chinatown, and when the new season starts, the pincers are fighting each other over the leftovers,” Stoddard told Deadline via email. “With the police enforcing a slew of brutal new ordinances designed to punish the Chinese, our characters are desperate, looking for new ways to move forward. That means new risks, uneasy alliances and massive betrayals that will force each of our characters to confront some ugly truths and lead Ah Sahm to explore the tension between the mobster that he is, and the hero his people want He is.

Being a hero is a tough job, but Ah Sahm prepares for greatness, even as he struggles to acknowledge it as he makes his way.

“Since he came off the boat and entered the world of San Francisco, Chinatown, Ah Sahm has been a great fighter, but not a true martial artist or warrior. He’s like an early concept version of Bruce Lee’s icon – always too rough and immature to become the man he should be for the people who need him. In this part of the story, he steps further into his true self,” said Koji.

His quest to find a balance between his family responsibilities and following his passions also continues. Koji teases, “A huge choice and a decision forced upon him – one that has long come to him and an important reason that shows him the way.”

One thing fans can definitely expect is more action and adventure in season 3. Ah Sahm looks stronger than ever and ready to slay all day long. Koji revealed that he trains a lot, “almost every day for a few months with some great coaches” including trainers JJ Park, Ashley Robinson, Xin and Jiseok in Korea and South Africa with a focus on kicks, technique, physique and weapons.

“I wanted to remind myself of real fight training outside of all the choreography and movie fights, so lots of sparring and pranking!” he exclaimed.

Co-showrunner and EP Evan Endicott shared more about what lies ahead this season.

“After defeating the Irish in the climactic riots in Season 2, Ah Sahm has become something of a local legend, with a huge portrait hanging over the streets of Chinatown. Neighborhood kids and local merchants know him by name, but Ah Sahm is uncomfortable with all the attention — and the idea that he’s some kind of hero,” Endicott said.

“But as the police crack down on Chinatown, mistreating and deporting its residents, Ah Sahm must decide: Is he a warrior fighting to protect his fellow Chinese? Or is he a gangster who uses violence to keep the Hop Wei in power? As the season’s conflicts escalate, Ah Sahm will have to fight on all fronts and will ultimately choose the path to take – with devastating consequences.”

Endicott also revealed a little nod to devoted fans in the teaser who have been patiently waiting for more warrior following the drama’s move from Cinemax to HBO Max and the pandemic.

“Ah Toy says ‘Miss me?’ in the teaser is a nod to our fans. They’ve been incredibly patient as the show switched networks and experienced delays due to COVID, and we wanted to acknowledge their enthusiasm and support. We can’t wait to share season 3 with them,” he said.

There’s another mid-season treat by way of a special guest star in tribute to Bruce Lee – whose daughter Shannon Lee serves as EP on warrior– in honor of the 50th anniversary of his death on July 20. Creator Jonathan Tropper teased the guest star, who has yet to be revealed, “pays homage to Bruce Lee in a unique and touching way.”

True to its roots, the series will continue to address racism against the AAPI community, a reality the community continues to face today.

“warrior has always been an elevated postmodern view of our American history and it is extremely important to us that our show channels what the AAPI community is currently dealing with into the story,” said executive producer Justin Lin.

The series was produced for Max by Perfect Storm Entertainment, Tropper Ink Productions and Bruce Lee Entertainment. warrior is show run and executive produced by Evan Endicott, Josh Stoddard; Jonathan Tropper (creator); Justin Lin, Danielle Woodrow and Andrew Schneider for Perfect Storm Entertainment; Shannon Lee for Bruce Lee Entertainment; Brad Kane; Richard Sharkey. Co-executive produced by Lillian Yu and Francisca X Hu.

Watch the full teaser trailer above.