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IMDbPro

John Woo(I)

  • Director
  • Producer
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,0001959
John Woo at an event for Paycheck (2003)
Set during the end of China's Han Dynasty, two rivaling warlords make a pact to turn their respective armies against a power hungry general bent on taking over their kingdoms.
Play trailer2:14
Red Cliff (2008)
4 Videos
44 Photos
Born in southern China, John Woo grew up in Hong Kong, where he began his film career as an assistant director in 1969, working for Shaw Brothers Studios. He directed his first feature in 1973 and has been a prolific director ever since, working in a wide variety of genres before A Better Tomorrow (1986) established his reputation as a master stylist specializing in ultra-violent gangster films and thrillers, with hugely elaborate action scenes shot with breathtaking panache. After gaining a cult reputation in the US with The Killer (1989), Woo was offered a Hollywood contract. He now works in the US.
BornMay 1, 1946
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 1, 1946
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,0001959
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 21 wins & 19 nominations

Photos44

Christian Slater, John Travolta, and John Woo in Broken Arrow (1996)
John Woo and Peter Levy in Broken Arrow (1996)
Nicolas Cage, John Travolta, and John Woo in Face/Off (1997)
John Woo in Red Cliff (2008)
On Podium, Cannes Grand Jury Includes Salma Hayek And Others Handing Out The Palme D'Or ~ Cannes Most Prestigious Prize For The Film: L'Enfants, Kaya F. Redford (Picture Right)
Katia Lund, Marco Tilesi, John Woo, Chiara Tilesi, Stefano Veneruso and Andrea Piedimonte in Cannes.
John Woo in Mission: Impossible II (2000)
John Woo in Mission: Impossible II (2000)
John Woo in Mission: Impossible II (2000)
John Woo and Dougray Scott in Mission: Impossible II (2000)
John Woo and Ving Rhames in Mission: Impossible II (2000)
John Woo and Jeffrey L. Kimball in Mission: Impossible II (2000)

Known for

Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Lung Ti in A Better Tomorrow (1986)
A Better Tomorrow
7.4
  • Director
  • 1986
Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Fengyi Zhang in Red Cliff (2008)
Red Cliff
7.3
  • Director
  • 2008
Chow Yun-Fat in Hard Boiled (1992)
Hard Boiled
7.7
  • Director
  • 1992
Nicolas Cage and John Travolta in Face/Off (1997)
Face/Off
7.3
  • Director(directed by)
  • 1997

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Director

  • Silent Night
    • Director
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • Manhunt (2017)
    Manhunt
    • Director
    • 2017
  • The Crossing 2 (2015)
    The Crossing 2
    • Director
    • 2015
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro, Masami Nagasawa, Ziyi Zhang, Song Hye-Kyo, and Xiaoming Huang in The Crossing (2014)
    The Crossing
    • Director
    • 2014
  • Reign of Assassins (2010)
    Reign of Assassins
    • co-director
    • 2010
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Fengyi Zhang in Red Cliff II (2009)
    Red Cliff II
    • Director
    • 2009
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Fengyi Zhang in Red Cliff (2008)
    Red Cliff
    • Director
    • 2008
  • Stranglehold (2007)
    Stranglehold
    • Director
    • Video Game
    • 2007
  • All the Invisible Children (2005)
    All the Invisible Children
    • Director (segment Song Song and Little Cat)
    • 2005
  • The Robinsons: Lost in Space (2004)
    The Robinsons: Lost in Space
    • Director
    • TV Movie
    • 2004
  • The Hire (2003)
    The Hire
    • Director (segment Hostage)
    • Short
    • 2003
  • Paycheck (2003)
    Paycheck
    • Director
    • 2003
  • Clive Owen in Hostage (2002)
    Hostage
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2002
  • Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach in Windtalkers (2002)
    Windtalkers
    • Director
    • 2002
  • Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible II (2000)
    Mission: Impossible II
    • Director
    • 2000
  • Dolph Lundgren in Blackjack (1998)
    Blackjack
    • Director
    • TV Movie
    • 1998

Producer

  • Monkey Master
    • producer
    • In Development
  • Nuts! (2016)
    Nuts!
    • executive producer
    • Short
    • 2016
  • Joe Chen and Xiaoming Huang in Breaking the Waves (2014)
    Breaking the Waves
    • chief producer
    • 2014
  • 7 Brothers
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2011
  • Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale II (2011)
    Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale II
    • producer
    • 2011
  • Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale I (2011)
    Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale I
    • producer
    • 2011
  • Reign of Assassins (2010)
    Reign of Assassins
    • producer
    • 2010
  • Ju Jin-Mo, Song Seung-heon, Kang-woo Kim, and Han Sun Jo in A Better Tomorrow (2010)
    A Better Tomorrow
    • executive producer
    • 2010
  • Yao tiao shen shi (2009)
    Yao tiao shen shi
    • supervising producer
    • 2009
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Fengyi Zhang in Red Cliff II (2009)
    Red Cliff II
    • producer
    • 2009
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Fengyi Zhang in Red Cliff (2008)
    Red Cliff
    • chief producer
    • producer
    • 2008
  • Appleseed: Ex Machina (2007)
    Appleseed: Ex Machina
    • producer
    • 2007
  • Blood Brothers (2007)
    Blood Brothers
    • producer
    • 2007
  • Stranglehold (2007)
    Stranglehold
    • producer
    • Video Game
    • 2007
  • The Glass Beads
    • producer
    • Short
    • 2005
  • The Robinsons: Lost in Space (2004)
    The Robinsons: Lost in Space
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 2004

Writer

  • Manhunt (2017)
    Manhunt
    • Writer
    • 2017
  • Ju Jin-Mo, Song Seung-heon, Kang-woo Kim, and Han Sun Jo in A Better Tomorrow (2010)
    A Better Tomorrow
    • original screenplay
    • 2010
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Fengyi Zhang in Red Cliff II (2009)
    Red Cliff II
    • screenplay
    • 2009
  • Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Fengyi Zhang in Red Cliff (2008)
    Red Cliff
    • screenplay
    • 2008
  • Once a Thief: Family Business (1998)
    Once a Thief: Family Business
    • based on the film by
    • TV Movie
    • 1998
  • Once a Thief: Brother Against Brother (1997)
    Once a Thief: Brother Against Brother
    • based on the film by
    • TV Movie
    • 1997
  • Chow Yun-Fat in Hard Boiled (1992)
    Hard Boiled
    • story
    • 1992
  • Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Cherie Chung in Once a Thief (1991)
    Once a Thief
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 1991
  • Bullet in the Head (1990)
    Bullet in the Head
    • Writer
    • 1990
  • Chow Yun-Fat and Danny Lee in The Killer (1989)
    The Killer
    • written by
    • 1989
  • Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Dean Shek, and Lung Ti in A Better Tomorrow II (1987)
    A Better Tomorrow II
    • Writer
    • 1987
  • Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, and Lung Ti in A Better Tomorrow (1986)
    A Better Tomorrow
    • written by
    • 1986
  • Xiao jiang (1985)
    Xiao jiang
    • screenplay
    • 1985
  • Eddy Ko in Heroes Shed No Tears (1984)
    Heroes Shed No Tears
    • Writer
    • 1984
  • Plain Jane to the Rescue (1982)
    Plain Jane to the Rescue
    • screenplay
    • 1982
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos4

Red Cliff
Trailer 2:14
Red Cliff
Red Cliff UK trailer
Trailer 1:41
Red Cliff UK trailer
The Hand of Death
Trailer 1:54
The Hand of Death
John Woo Presents STRANGLEHOLD - Sneak Peek
Promo 1:31
John Woo Presents STRANGLEHOLD - Sneak Peek

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Ng Yu Chen
  • Height
    • 5′ 4½″ (1.64 m)
  • Born
    • May 1, 1946
    • Guangzhou, China
  • Spouse
    • Anne Woo1976 - present (3 children)
  • Children
    • Angeles Woo
  • Other works
    Commercial: Nike Brazilian Football Commercial (1998)
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Biographical Movies
    • 3 Print Biographies
    • 10 Interviews
    • 17 Articles
    • 2 Pictorials
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    He has never owned a car.
  • Quotes
    I'm not a master; I'm just a hard-working filmmaker. I would like everyone to see me as a friend rather than a master.
  • Trademarks
      Uses pleasant music that heavily contrasts with some of the more violent action on screen.

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