A Better Tomorrow
英雄本色
“Brothers by blood. Enemies by chance. Killers by nature.”
Synopsis
A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.
Part of the A Better Tomorrow Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official Trailer [Subtitled]Official
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-08-04
Top Cast
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Ti Lung
Sung Chi Ho
Chow Yun-Fat
Mark Lee
Leslie Cheung
Sung Chi Kit
Emily Chu Bo-Yee
Jackie
Waise Lee Chi-Hung
Shing
Tien Feng
Mr. Sung
John Woo
Inspector Wu
Sek Yin-Tsi
Mr. Yiu
Kenneth Tsang
Kin
Wang Hsieh
Boss Wang
Leung Ming
Uncle Chan
Chan Chi-Fai
Boss Wang's Nephew
Kam Hing-Yin
Kit's Supervisor
Tsui Hark
Music Judge
Pierre Tremblay
Interpol Officer
To Wai-Wo
Taiwan Gangster Killed in the Restaurant
Lau Shung-Fung
Taiwan Gangster Killed in the Restaurant
Shing Fu-On
Shing's Bodyguard
Release History & Theatrical Window
Pingyao International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
March 1, 2026
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 25, 2026
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1.4M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$4.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.18x
+$3.1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Woo
- Screenplay & Story
- 薛群, John Woo, Chan Hing-Kai, Leung Suk-Wah
- Original Score
- Joseph Koo
- Original Title
- 英雄本色
- Country of Origin
- Hong Kong
- Spoken Languages
- Cantonese, English, Mandarin
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Production Budget
- $1.4M
- Worldwide Gross
- $4.5M
- Production Studios
- Cinema City Company Limited, Film Workshop
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Woo
薛群, John Woo, Chan Hing-Kai, Leung Suk-Wah
Joseph Koo
Horace Wong Wing-Hang
Kam Ma
Tsui Hark, 温嘉文
Department Leadership Roster
Joseph Koo
Original Music Composer
John Woo
Director
Horace Wong Wing-Hang
Director of Photography
Bruce Yu
Costume Design
Kam Ma
Editor
John Woo
Writer
温嘉文
Producer
Chan Hing-Kai
Writer
Leung Suk-Wah
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for A Better Tomorrow.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring A Better Tomorrow.
Movie Collection
Asian Cinema
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Guardian Films
Gangster
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Frequently Asked Questions About A Better Tomorrow
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is A Better Tomorrow about?
A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.
Who directed A Better Tomorrow?
A Better Tomorrow was directed by John Woo.
Who stars in A Better Tomorrow?
The principal cast of A Better Tomorrow includes Ti Lung, Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Emily Chu Bo-Yee, Waise Lee Chi-Hung.
When was A Better Tomorrow released and how long is it?
A Better Tomorrow was released in 1986 with a total runtime of 1h 35m.
What was the box office and production budget of A Better Tomorrow?
A Better Tomorrow had a reported production budget of $1.4M and grossed $4.5M at the worldwide box office (3.18 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for A Better Tomorrow?
The original motion picture soundtrack for A Better Tomorrow was composed by Joseph Koo.
What is the age rating and content advisory for A Better Tomorrow?
A Better Tomorrow holds official age classifications: AU: R 18+; FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).