Personal Information

Known ForDirecting

GenderMale

Birth DateSep 22, 1946 (80 years old)

Zodiac Sign♍Virgo

Place of BirthGuangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

Career Span1962 – Present (65 yrs)

Known Credits121 Titles

Official Links

IMDb WWikidata

DirectingPopularity Score 3.1

John Woo

Also known as:Wu Yu-ShengWu Yu-ShenWu Yao-ShenJohn Y. S. Woo+4 more

Total Works

121

110 movies • 9 shows

Avg Rating

6.5 / 10

across rated releases

Box Office

—

worldwide gross

Global Reach

TMDB star index

Biography

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.

Signature Roles & Milestones

Top-rated highlights from John Woo's career

6.1

Mission: Impossible II

2000•movie

Role: Director

7.1

Face/Off

1997•movie

Role: Director

6.2

Paycheck

2003•movie

Role: Director

6.1

Broken Arrow

1996•movie

Role: Director

Photos & Headshots8

Click any photo to view full size

Full Filmography & Credits

Showing 121 titles featuring John Woo

6.1

Mission: Impossible II

2000•movie

Role: Director

7.1

Face/Off

1997•movie

Role: Director

6.2

Paycheck

2003•movie

Role: Director

6.1

Broken Arrow

1996•movie

Role: Director

6.4

Windtalkers

2002•movie

Role: Director

6.5

Hard Target

1993•movie

Role: Director

5.5

Bulletproof Monk

2003•movie

Role: Producer

7.5

Hard Boiled

1992•movie

as Mr. Woo

6.1

Silent Night

2023•movie

Role: Producer

7.6

The Killer

1989•movie

Role: Director

7.1

Red Cliff

2008•movie

Role: Director

7.4

A Better Tomorrow

1986•movie

as Inspector Wu

6.3

The Killer

2024•movie

Role: Director

6.3

The Replacement Killers

1998•movie

Role: Executive Producer

7.3

Red Cliff II

2009•movie

Role: Screenplay

6.0

The Big Hit

1998•movie

Role: Executive Producer

6.9

Twin Dragons

1992•movie

as Priest

7.6

Bullet in the Head

1990•movie

as Policeman

7.1

A Better Tomorrow II

1987•movie

Role: Director

6.9

Reign of Assassins

2010•movie

Role: Producer

6.5

Appleseed: Ex Machina

2007•anime

Role: Producer

6.9

Once a Thief

1991•movie

as Stanley Wu

6.4

A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon

1989•movie

Role: Producer

5.6

Manhunt

2017•movie

Role: Director

7.3

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun Flag

2011•movie

Role: Producer

6.6

Hand of Death

1976•movie

as Zhang Yi

5.2

Blackjack

1998•movie

Role: Director

6.6

Hostage

2002•movie

Role: Director

8.1

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow Bridge

2011•movie

Role: Producer

6.4

Heroes Shed No Tears

1984•movie

Role: Producer

7.0

All the Invisible Children

2006•movie

Role: Director

5.3

The Founding of a Republic

2009•movie

as Liu Wenhui

6.0

A Better Tomorrow

2010•movie

Role: Executive Producer

7.1

Last Hurrah for Chivalry

1979•movie

Role: Director

6.9

The Boxer from Shantung

1972•movie

Role: Assistant Director

4.7

Beginning of the Great Revival

2011•movie

as Lin Sen

5.5

The Crossing I

2014•movie

Role: Director

5.9

Peace Hotel

1995•movie

Role: Executive Producer

6.4

Blood Brothers

1973•movie

Role: Assistant Director

6.4

The Private Eyes

1976•movie

Role: Producer

5.6

A Better Tomorrow

2018•movie

Role: Original Story

5.3

The Crossing II

2015•movie

Role: Director

7.9

How Bruce Lee Changed the World

2009•movie

as Self

6.6

Just Heroes

1989•movie

Role: Director

5.3

Blood Brothers

2007•movie

Role: Producer

4.9

Once a Thief

1996•movie

Role: Director

6.8

The Water Margin

1972•movie

Role: Assistant Director

7.5

Mission: Improbable

2000•movie

as John Woo

6.4

I Love Maria

1988•movie

5.8

The Banquet

1991•movie

as Man on Stairs

7.7

The Hire

2001•series

Role: Director

5.8

The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies

2002•movie

as Self - Interviewee

5.8

Kurosawa's Way

2011•movie

as Self

6.5

Money Crazy

1977•movie

Role: Director

6.1

Four Riders

1972•movie

Role: Assistant Director

6.6

Fist to Fist

1973•movie

Role: Assistant Director

6.0

Dead Knot

1969•movie

as Boy

5.5

Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema

1998•movie

as Self

7.2

The Thirty Million Dollar Rush

1987•movie

as Ling's Husband

6.1

Once a Thief

1996•series

Role: Creator

5.6

The Robinsons: Lost in Space

2004•movie

Role: Director

4.3

Red Skies

2002•movie

Role: Executive Producer

7.1

Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu

2003•movie

as Self

7.1

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

2017•movie

as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)

4.8

Laughing Times

1980•movie

Role: Screenplay

6.3

Plain Jane to the Rescue

1982•movie

as Self

4.9

From Riches to Rags

1980•movie

as [cameo]

6.2

Kurosawa: The Last Emperor

1999•movie

as Self

6.2

Cinema of Vengeance

1994•movie

as Self (uncredited)

4.8

My Fair Gentleman

2009•movie

Role: Producer

6.5

Young People

1972•movie

Role: Assistant Director

4.9

Accidentally

1968•movie

as Young Man

6.8

The Young Dragons

1974•movie

as Message Deliverer

7.2

Itchy Fingers

1979•movie

as Triad Boss on Lorry

7.8

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale

2012•movie

Role: Producer

6.3

Color Me Love

2010•movie

Role: Producer

6.5

Starry Is the Night

1988•movie

as Father Fan

7.5

Task Force

1997•movie

as Police Chief

7.8

Don't Cry, Nanking

1995•movie

Role: Producer

7.0

The Dragon Tamers

1975•movie

Role: Director

5.8

To Hell with the Devil

1982•movie

Role: Director

8.6

Run Tiger Run

1985•movie

Role: Director

8.7

The King of Wuxia Part 1

2022•movie

as Self

8.0

Follow the Star

1978•movie

as Miss Chen's Father

6.7

Ken San

2016•movie

as Self

7.3

Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong Kino

1993•movie

as Self

7.2

Hello, Late Homecomers

1978•movie

Role: Director

8.0

Somebody Up There Likes Me

1996•movie

Role: Producer

6.5

Young Lovers on Flying Wheels

1974•movie

as Man at Bike Reclaim Centre

6.0

Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia

2003•movie

as Self

7.0

Sunset in Paris

1989•movie

as Maggie's uncle

7.0

The Mandarin

1973•movie

8.0

The Making of Stranglehold

2007•movie

9.5

2 eps

Celebrity Talk Show

1989•series

as 吴宇森

8.5

Princess Chang-Ping

1976•movie

Role: Director

5.0

Breaking the Waves

2014•movie

Role: Executive Producer

10.0

Rebel from China

1990•movie

as Kwong

10.0

Happy Union 2

1985•movie

8.0

Love, Lone Flower

1985•movie

3.0

Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong

2003•movie

as Self

9.0

1 eps

Golden Horse Awards

1962•series

as Self

9.0

1 eps

Voice

2012•series

9.0

The Time You Need a Friend

1984•movie

Role: Director

10.0

Super Citizen

1985•movie

Role: Producer

10.0

Happy Union

1984•movie

Role: Producer

4.0

Begging

1970•movie

Role: Thanks

The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary

2003•movie

Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki

2008•movie

Crossings: John Woo

2004•movie

as Self

Life in 24 Frames a Second

2021•movie

as Self

The King of Wuxia Part 2

2022•movie

as Self

The Life and Times of Wu Zhong Xian

2003•movie

as As himself

The Test of Time: The Genesis of Hard Boiled

2002•movie

Twist & Shoot: Mister Suzuki

2026•movie

as Self

1 eps

Bokura no Jidai

2007•series

1 eps

Be My Guest

2006•series

2 eps

大侠胡金铨

2022•series

as self

8 eps

A Century of Light and Shadow

2005•series

as Self

Ghost Bustin

1985•movie

Role: Producer

The Devils

1973•movie

Role: Assistant Director

Better Tomorrow

anime

Role: Original Film Writer