Cast & creator
John Woo
Best known for Voice, Golden Horse Awards, Face/Off
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.
Also known as: Wu Yu-Sheng, Wu Yu-Shen, Wu Yao-Shen, John Y. S. Woo, John Y. Woo
181
film credits
9
television credits
59
1962–2026 · acting roles
6.7
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (190)
Showing 190 of 190 credits
Voice
2012
Golden Horse Awards
Self
1962
Face/Off
Director
1997Face/Off
Storyboard
1997
Mission: Impossible II
Director
2000
Hard Target
Director
1993
Celebrity Talk Show
吴宇森
1989
Be My Guest
2006
Broken Arrow
Director
1996
Once a Thief
Creator
1996
Silent Night
Producer
2023Silent Night
Director
2023
The Hire
Director
2001
Red Cliff
Director
2008Red Cliff
Screenplay
2008Red Cliff
Producer
2008
The Replacement Killers
Choreographer
1998The Replacement Killers
Executive Producer
1998
Hard Boiled
Mr. Woo
1992Hard Boiled
Director
1992Hard Boiled
Editor
1992Hard Boiled
Story
1992
A Better Tomorrow
Inspector Wu
1986A Better Tomorrow
Director
1986A Better Tomorrow
Writer
1986
The Killer
Director
1989The Killer
Screenplay
1989
Paycheck
Director
2003Paycheck
Producer
2003
The Big Hit
Executive Producer
1998
The Killer
Director
2024The Killer
Producer
2024The Killer
Original Film Writer
2024
Bulletproof Monk
Producer
2003
Windtalkers
Producer
2002Windtalkers
Director
2002
Twin Dragons
Priest
1992
Red Cliff II
Screenplay
2009Red Cliff II
Director
2009Red Cliff II
Producer
2009
Bullet in the Head
Policeman
1990Bullet in the Head
Producer
1990Bullet in the Head
Director
1990Bullet in the Head
Editor
1990Bullet in the Head
Writer
1990
A Better Tomorrow II
Director
1987A Better Tomorrow II
Writer
1987
Reign of Assassins
Producer
2010Reign of Assassins
Director
2010
Once a Thief
Stanley Wu
1991Once a Thief
Director
1991Once a Thief
Screenplay
1991Once a Thief
Story
1991
The Founding of a Republic
Liu Wenhui
2009The Founding of a Republic
National Army Officers
2009
A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon
Producer
1989
Hand of Death
Zhang Yi
1976Hand of Death
Director
1976Hand of Death
Screenplay
1976
Appleseed: Ex Machina
Producer
2007
Kurosawa's Way
Self
2011
Manhunt
Director
2017Manhunt
Writer
2017
Beginning of the Great Revival
Lin Sen
2011
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
Self
2009
The Boxer from Shantung
Assistant Director
1972
I Love Maria
1988
Peace Hotel
Executive Producer
1995
Bokura no Jidai
2007
Heroes Shed No Tears
Producer
1984Heroes Shed No Tears
Director
1984Heroes Shed No Tears
Writer
1984
The Banquet
Man on Stairs
1991
The Water Margin
Assistant Director
1972
All the Invisible Children
Director
2006
Last Hurrah for Chivalry
Director
1979Last Hurrah for Chivalry
Writer
1979
The Private Eyes
Producer
1976
A Century of Light and Shadow
Self
2005
The Crossing I
Director
2014
A Better Tomorrow
Original Story
2018
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
Self - Interviewee
2002
Blood Brothers
Assistant Director
1973
The Crossing II
Director
2015
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow Bridge
Producer
2011
Blackjack
Director
1998Blackjack
Producer
1998
Just Heroes
Director
1989
Once a Thief
Director
1996
Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong
Self
2003
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2017
Kurosawa: The Last Emperor
Self
1999
Mission: Improbable
John Woo
2001
Red Skies
Executive Producer
2002
Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia
Self
2003
The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary
2003
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun Flag
Producer
2011Mission: Remarkable - 40 Years of Creating the Impossible
Self
2010X-Crucior
Director
Four Riders
Assistant Director
1972
Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu
Self
2003
Cinema of Vengeance
Self (uncredited)
1994
Fist to Fist
Assistant Director
1973
The Thirty Million Dollar Rush
Ling's Husband
1987
The Robinsons: Lost in Space
Director
2004
A Better Tomorrow
Executive Producer
2010A Better Tomorrow
Screenplay
2010A Better Tomorrow
Original Story
2010
Hello, Late Homecomers
Director
1978Hello, Late Homecomers
Screenplay
1978
Blood Brothers
Producer
2007
The Making of Hard Boiled
2007
大侠胡金铨
self
2022
Young Lovers on Flying Wheels
Man at Bike Reclaim Centre
1974The Light and The Dark: The Making of Face/Off
Self
2007
Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong Kino
Self
1993
Money Crazy
Director
1977Money Crazy
Screenplay
1977
To Hell with the Devil
Director
1982To Hell with the Devil
Writer
1982
Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema
Self
1998
Follow the Star
Miss Chen's Father
1978Follow the Star
Director
1978Follow the Star
Writer
1978Follow the Star
Screenplay
1978
Ken San
Self
2016
The Young Dragons
Message Deliverer
1974The Young Dragons
Writer
1974The Young Dragons
Director
1974
Color Me Love
Producer
2010
Hostage
Director
2002
Crossings: John Woo
Self
2004
The Dragon Tamers
Director
1975The Dragon Tamers
Writer
1975
Twist & Shoot: Mister Suzuki
Self
2026
Princess Chang-Ping
Director
1976Princess Chang-Ping
Screenplay
1976
The King of Wuxia Part 2
Self
2022
The Making of Stranglehold
2007The Making of Stranglehold
Producer
2007
Somebody Up There Likes Me
Producer
1996
Better Tomorrow
Original Film Writer
Itchy Fingers
Triad Boss on Lorry
1979
Happy Union
Producer
1984
Starry Is the Night
Father Fan
1988
Run Tiger Run
Director
1985Run Tiger Run
Producer
1985
Rebel from China
Kwong
1990
Task Force
Police Chief
1997
Laughing Times
Screenplay
1980Laughing Times
Director
1980
Love, Lone Flower
1985Love, Lone Flower
Producer
1985
The King of Wuxia Part 1
Self
2022
Plain Jane to the Rescue
Self
1982Plain Jane to the Rescue
Director
1982Plain Jane to the Rescue
Screenplay
1982
The Mandarin
1973The Mandarin
Second Unit
1973
From Riches to Rags
[cameo]
1980From Riches to Rags
Director
1980From Riches to Rags
Writer
1980
The Devils
Assistant Director
1973
Young People
Assistant Director
1972
Life in 24 Frames a Second
Self
2021
Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki
2008
Ghost Bustin
Producer
1985
Breaking the Waves
Executive Producer
2014
Don't Cry, Nanking
Producer
1995
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
Producer
2012
My Fair Gentleman
Producer
2009
Happy Union 2
1985Happy Union 2
Producer
1985
Super Citizen
Producer
1985Gambino
Director
Dead Knot
Boy
1969Dead Knot
Writer
1969Dead Knot
Producer
1969Dead Knot
Editor
1969Dead Knot
Director
1969
The Time You Need a Friend
Director
1984
Sunset in Paris
Maggie's uncle
1989
Begging
Thanks
1970The Ruthless Heart
Story
1970
The Life and Times of Wu Zhong Xian
As himself
2003The Idiot Assassin
Producer
1981
Accidentally
Young Man
1968Accidentally
Director
1968Accidentally
Writer
1968Accidentally
Editor
1968