The Last Emperor
“1500 slaves. 353,260,000 royal subjects. Warlords. Concubines. And 2 wives. He was the loneliest boy in the world.”
Synopsis
A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2023-02-22
Top Cast
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John Lone
Pu Yi (Adult)
Joan Chen
Wan Jung
Peter O'Toole
Reginald Johnston (R.J.)
Ruocheng Ying
The Governor
Victor Wong
Chen Pao Shen
Dennis Dun
Big Li
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Amakasu
Maggie Han
Eastern Jewel
Ric Young
Interrogator
Vivian Wu
Wen Hsiu
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Chang
Jade Go
Ar Mo
Fumihiko Ikeda
Yoshioka
Richard Vuu
Pu Yi (3 years)
Tsou Tijger
Pu Yi (8 years)
Tao Wu
Pu Yi (15 years)
Guang Fan
Pu Chieh (Adult)
Henry Kyi
Pu Chieh (7 years)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Rome
Festival / Special Debut
November 20, 1987
Wide Cinema Exhibition
October 3, 2023
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$23.8M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$44M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.85x
+$20.2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Screenplay & Story
- Mark Peploe, Bernardo Bertolucci
- Original Score
- David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Su Cong
- Original Title
- The Last Emperor
- Country of Origin
- China, France, Italy, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English, Chichewa; Nyanja, Japanese, Mandarin
- Runtime
- 2h 43m
- Production Budget
- $23.8M
- Worldwide Gross
- $44M
- Production Studios
- Soprofilms, TAO Film, Yanco, Recorded Picture Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Bernardo Bertolucci
Mark Peploe, Bernardo Bertolucci, Aisin-Gioro Puyi, Enzo Ungari
David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Su Cong
Vittorio Storaro
Gabriella Cristiani
John Daly, Franco Giovale, Joyce Herlihy, Jeremy Thomas
Department Leadership Roster
John Daly
Producer
David Byrne
Original Music Composer
Bruno Cesari
Production Design
Franco Giovale
Producer
Ferdinando Scarfiotti
Production Design
Mark Peploe
Screenplay
Vittorio Storaro
Director of Photography
Joyce Herlihy
Producer
Gabriella Cristiani
Editor
Bernardo Bertolucci
Director
James Acheson
Costume Design
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Original Music Composer
Bernardo Bertolucci
Screenplay
Jeremy Thomas
Producer
Sun Huanxiang
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Last Emperor.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Last Emperor.
Academy Awards
Best Movie
European Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
Movie Collection
金球奖最佳剧情片
Golden Globe Best Drama 金球奖历届最佳剧情片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:13 UTC+8)*
英国电影学院奖最佳影片
BAFTA Award for Best Film 英国电影学院奖（BAFTA）历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:09 UTC+8)*
奥斯卡历届最佳影片
Oscar Winning Films: Best Picture 奥斯卡历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:42:59 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Last Emperor
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Last Emperor about?
A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.
Who directed The Last Emperor?
The Last Emperor was directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Who stars in The Last Emperor?
The principal cast of The Last Emperor includes John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ruocheng Ying, Victor Wong.
When was The Last Emperor released and how long is it?
The Last Emperor was released in 1987 with a total runtime of 2h 43m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Last Emperor?
The Last Emperor had a reported production budget of $23.8M and grossed $44M at the worldwide box office (1.85 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for The Last Emperor?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Last Emperor was composed by David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Su Cong.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Last Emperor?
The Last Emperor holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).