John Woo
Known for directing · Born 22 September 1946 · 80 · Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
142 credits
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled and Red Cliff. His Hollywood films include Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off and Mission: Impossible 2. He also created the comic series Seven Brothers, published by Virgin Comics. Woo was described by Dave Kehr in The Observer in 2002 as "arguably the most influential director making movies today". Woo cites his three favorite films as David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï.
Known for
Mission: Impossible II
2000
Face/Off
1997
Paycheck
2003
Broken Arrow
1996
Windtalkers
2002
Hard Target
1993
Hard Boiled
1992
Silent Night
2023
The Killer
1989
Red Cliff
2008
A Better Tomorrow
1986
The Killer
2024
Acting (58)
2026Twist & Shoot: Mister SuzukiSelfFilm
2022The King of Wuxia Part 1SelfFilm
2022The King of Wuxia Part 2SelfFilm
2022大侠胡金铨self · 2 episodesSeries
2021Life in 24 Frames a SecondSelfFilm
2017John Travolta, le miraculé d'HollywoodSelf - Filmmaker (archive footage)Film
2016Ken SanSelfFilm
2012VoiceSeries
2011Beginning of the Great RevivalLin SenFilm
2011Kurosawa's WaySelfFilm
2010Mission: Remarkable - 40 Years of Creating the ImpossibleSelfFilm
2009The Founding of a RepublicLiu Wenhui, National Army OfficersFilm
2009How Bruce Lee Changed the WorldSelfFilm
2008Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji AramakiFilm
2007The Making of StrangleholdFilm
2007The Making of Hard BoiledFilm
2007The Light and The Dark: The Making of Face/OffSelfFilm
2007Bokura no JidaiSeries
2006Be My GuestSeries
2005A Century of Light and ShadowSelf · 8 episodesSeries
2004Crossings: John WooSelfFilm
2003Cinema Hong Kong: Kung FuSelfFilm
2003Cinema Hong Kong: Wu XiaSelfFilm
2003Chop Socky: Cinema Hong KongSelfFilm
2003The Master: Chang Cheh DocumentaryFilm
2003The Life and Times of Wu Zhong XianAs himselfFilm
2002The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the MoviesSelf - IntervieweeFilm
2001Mission: ImprobableJohn WooFilm
1999Kurosawa: The Last EmperorSelfFilm
1998Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese CinemaSelfFilm
1997Task ForcePolice ChiefFilm
1994Cinema of VengeanceSelf (uncredited)Film
1993Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong KinoSelfFilm
1992Hard BoiledMr. WooFilm
1992Twin DragonsPriestFilm
1991Once a ThiefStanley WuFilm
1991The BanquetMan on StairsFilm
1990Bullet in the HeadPolicemanFilm
1990Rebel from ChinaKwongFilm
1989Sunset in ParisMaggie's uncleFilm
1989Celebrity Talk Show吴宇森 · 2 episodesSeries
1988I Love MariaFilm
1988Starry Is the NightFather FanFilm
1987The Thirty Million Dollar RushLing's HusbandFilm
1986A Better TomorrowInspector WuFilm
1985Love, Lone FlowerFilm
1985Happy Union 2Film
1982Plain Jane to the RescueSelfFilm
1980From Riches to Rags[cameo]Film
1979Itchy FingersTriad Boss on LorryFilm
1978Follow the StarMiss Chen's FatherFilm
1976Hand of DeathZhang YiFilm
1974The Young DragonsMessage DelivererFilm
1974Young Lovers on Flying WheelsMan at Bike Reclaim CentreFilm
1973The MandarinFilm
1969Dead KnotBoyFilm
1968AccidentallyYoung ManFilm
1962Golden Horse AwardsSelfSeries
Creator (1)
1996Once a ThiefCreatorSeries
Crew (3)
1998The Replacement KillersChoreographer, Executive ProducerFilm
1973The MandarinSecond UnitFilm
1970BeggingThanksFilm
Directing (44)
2024The KillerDirector, Producer, Original Film WriterFilm
2017ManhuntDirector, WriterFilm
2015The Crossing IIDirectorFilm
2014The Crossing IDirectorFilm
2008Red CliffDirector, Screenplay, ProducerFilm
2006All the Invisible ChildrenDirectorFilm
2004The Robinsons: Lost in SpaceDirectorFilm
2003PaycheckDirector, ProducerFilm
2002HostageDirectorFilm
2001The HireDirectorSeries
2000Mission: Impossible IIDirectorFilm
1998BlackjackDirector, ProducerFilm
1997Face/OffDirector, StoryboardFilm
1996Broken ArrowDirectorFilm
1996Once a ThiefDirectorFilm
1993Hard TargetDirectorFilm
1992Hard BoiledDirector, Editor, StoryFilm
1991Once a ThiefDirector, Screenplay, StoryFilm
1989The KillerDirector, ScreenplayFilm
1989Just HeroesDirectorFilm
1987A Better Tomorrow IIDirector, WriterFilm
1986A Better TomorrowDirector, WriterFilm
1985Run Tiger RunDirector, ProducerFilm
1984The Time You Need a FriendDirectorFilm
1982Plain Jane to the RescueDirector, ScreenplayFilm
1982To Hell with the DevilDirector, WriterFilm
1980From Riches to RagsDirector, WriterFilm
1979Last Hurrah for ChivalryDirector, WriterFilm
1978Follow the StarDirector, Writer, ScreenplayFilm
1978Hello, Late HomecomersDirector, ScreenplayFilm
1977Money CrazyDirector, ScreenplayFilm
1976Hand of DeathDirector, ScreenplayFilm
1976Princess Chang-PingDirector, ScreenplayFilm
1975The Dragon TamersDirector, WriterFilm
1973Blood BrothersAssistant DirectorFilm
1973Fist to FistAssistant DirectorFilm
1973The DevilsAssistant DirectorFilm
1972The Boxer from ShantungAssistant DirectorFilm
1972The Water MarginAssistant DirectorFilm
1972Four RidersAssistant DirectorFilm
1972Young PeopleAssistant DirectorFilm
1968AccidentallyDirector, Writer, EditorFilm
—X-CruciorDirectorFilm
—GambinoDirectorFilm
Production (29)
2023Silent NightProducer, DirectorFilm
2014Breaking the WavesExecutive ProducerFilm
2012Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq BaleProducerFilm
2011Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun FlagProducerFilm
2011Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow BridgeProducerFilm
2010Reign of AssassinsProducer, DirectorFilm
2010A Better TomorrowExecutive Producer, Screenplay, Original StoryFilm
2010Color Me LoveProducerFilm
2009My Fair GentlemanProducerFilm
2007Appleseed: Ex MachinaProducerFilm
2007Blood BrothersProducerFilm
2007The Making of StrangleholdProducerFilm
2003Bulletproof MonkProducerFilm
2002WindtalkersProducer, DirectorFilm
2002Red SkiesExecutive ProducerFilm
1998The Big HitExecutive ProducerFilm
1996Somebody Up There Likes MeProducerFilm
1995Peace HotelExecutive ProducerFilm
1995Don't Cry, NankingProducerFilm
1990Bullet in the HeadProducer, Director, Editor, WriterFilm
1989A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in SaigonProducerFilm
1985Happy Union 2ProducerFilm
1985Super CitizenProducerFilm
1985Love, Lone FlowerProducerFilm
1985Ghost BustinProducerFilm
1984Heroes Shed No TearsProducer, Director, WriterFilm
1984Happy UnionProducerFilm
1981The Idiot AssassinProducerFilm
1976The Private EyesProducerFilm
Writing (7)
2018A Better TomorrowOriginal StoryFilm
2009Red Cliff IIScreenplay, Director, ProducerFilm
1980Laughing TimesScreenplay, DirectorFilm
1974The Young DragonsWriter, DirectorFilm
1970The Ruthless HeartStoryFilm
1969Dead KnotWriter, Producer, Editor, DirectorFilm
—Better TomorrowOriginal Film WriterFilm