User:FrostFairBlade/sandbox/John Woo: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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Born into poverty, Woo developed an interest in filmmaking from an early age. After making several short films, he joined [[Cathay Organisation|Cathay]] in 1969 as a script supervisor. Woo left two years later to work for [[Shaw Brothers Studio]], where he would be mentored by [[Chang Cheh]]. Hired by [[Orange Sky Golden Harvest|Golden Harvest]], Woo made a series of comedy films which pigeonholed him into the genre, a reputation that followed him to [[Cinema City Enterprises|Cinema City]]. His breakout hit, ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'' (1986), marked his first collaboration with [[Chow Yun-fat]]. After directing ''[[A Better Tomorrow II]]'' (1987) and ''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]'' (1989), Woo would make the Vietnam War epic ''[[Bullet in the Head]]'' (1990) and the heist film ''[[Once a Thief (1991 film)|Once a Thief]]'' (1991).

Following ''[[Hard Boiled]]'' (1993), Woo transitioned to working in [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]], where he would deliver ''[[Hard Target]]'' (1993) and ''[[Broken Arrow (1996 film)|Broken Arrow]]'' (1996) to mixed critical reception. He would also produce and direct several film and television projects, including a [[Once a Thief (1996 film)|1996 adaptation of ''Once a Thief'']] and ''[[Blackjack (1998 film)|Blackjack]]'' (1998). After helming box office successes in ''[[Face/Off]]'' (1997) and ''[[Mission: Impossible 2]]'' (2000), he directed back-to-back disappointments with ''[[Windtalkers]]'' (2002) and ''[[Paycheck (film)|Paycheck]]'' (2003). After creating the comic book series ''[[Seven Brothers (comics)|Seven Brothers]]'' (2006) and the video game ''[[Stranglehold (video game)|Stranglehold]]'' (2007), Woo would return to Asia to direct ''[[Red Cliff (film)|Red Cliff]]'' (2008) and ''[[Reign of Assassins]]'' (2010), with the former being commercially and critically successful. Woo released ''[[The Crossing (2014 film)|The Crossing]]'' (2014) and ''[[Manhunt (2017 film)|Manhunt]]'' (2017) to little acclaim, then returned to the United States to direct ''[[Silent Night (2023 film)|Silent Night]]'' (2023) ~~with~~and ''[[The Killer (2024 film)|The Killer]]'' ~~releasing in August~~ (2024).

Woo is credited as a pioneer of [[heroic bloodshed]] films and the [[gun fu]] genre in [[Hong Kong action cinema]]. His films often utilise stylised imagery, [[slow motion]], [[Mexican standoff|Mexican standoffs]], and allusions to ''[[wuxia]]'', [[film noir]] and [[Western film|Western]] cinema.

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Woo was born Wu Yu-sen in [[Guangzhou]], China in late October 1946.{{sfn|Woo|2005|p=3}}{{sfn|Heard|2000|p=2|loc=The Early Years: Light at the End of a Long, Dark Tunnel}} His father, Wu Chuk-wen, was a former high school history teacher and second secretary to a general. His mother, Liu Mei-ying, was a housewife.{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xv|loc=Chronology}} Woo's grandfather was a wealthy landlord in [[Guangxi]], and Woo's father was the youngest of nine children.<ref name="NYT_Kehr2002">{{Cite news |last=Kehr |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Kehr |date=2002-06-09 |title=For the Auteur of Action, a Thoughtful Turn |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/09/movies/for-the-auteur-of-action-a-thoughtful-turn.html |access-date=2023-11-28 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="TheGuardian_Vincent2002">{{Cite news |last=Vincent |first=Sally |author-link=Sally Vincent |date=2002-08-03 |title=The flesh ripping, bullet spraying ballet master |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/aug/03/features.weekend |access-date=2024-06-18 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Woo's father sided with the [[National Revolutionary Army]] during [[World War II]].<ref name="NYT_Kehr2002" /> Woo is the eldest child and has a brother and a sister.{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xv|loc=Chronology}}

At the age of three, Woo suffered from a spinal infection, which required a tissue transplant from his right leg to his back.<ref name="TheGlobeAndMail_Dixon2004">{{Cite news |last=Dixon |first=Guy |date=2004-12-30 |title=John Woo wants to put down his gun |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/john-woo-wants-to-put-down-his-gun/article1171100/ |access-date=2023-11-29 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |language=en-CA}}</ref> This resulted in difficulties with walking until Woo was eight years old, and his right leg became permanently shorter than his left.<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Harmetz1993" /> After the [[Chinese Communist Party]] took control of the mainland, Woo's family moved to Hong Kong in 1951, settling in the shanty towns of [[Shek Kip Mei]].<ref name="SFChronicle_Stein1997">{{Cite news |last=Stein |first=Ruthe |date=1997-06-22 |title=Director John Woo Takes Charge |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/director-john-woo-takes-charge-action-filmmaker-2821501.php |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="NYT_Kehr2002" /> When Woo was five, his father developed [[tuberculosis]].{{sfn|Heard|2000|p=2|loc=The Early Years: Light at the End of a Long, Dark Tunnel}} To make ends meet, his mother took up various manual labour jobs.<ref name="LATimes_Leydon1993">{{Cite web |last=Leydon |first=Joe |author-link=Joe Leydon |date=1993-01-03 |title=New Gun in Town |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-01-03-ca-1074-story.html |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="TheGuardian_Wise2000">{{Cite news |last=Wise |first=Damon |date=2000-06-11 |title=Wooed with violence |language=en-GB |work=[[The Observer]] |publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/jun/11/1 |access-date=2023-12-18 |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> The Woos faced further hardship when they lost everything—including their identity papers—in the [[Shek Kip Mei fire]] of 1953.<ref name="NYT_Kehr2002" /> This forced them to live on the streets for a year before they could get temporary housing.{{sfn|Woo|2005|pp=3–4}} Woo's family were devout Lutherans, and with the help of the church, they found an American family who sponsored Woo's education. As he was already nine years old, his mother asked him to report his birth year as 1948 so that he could attend Heep Woh Primary School as a seven-year-old<ref name="TheGuardian_Vincent2002" />{{sfn|Woo|2005|p=4}} (his passport lists his birth date as 22 September, 1948).{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xv|loc=Chronology}} To make it easier for his teachers at Heep Woh to pronounce his name, Woo decided to go by the English name John, inspired by [[John the Baptist]].<ref name="TheNewYorker_Abrams2023">{{Cite magazine |last=Abrams |first=Simon |date=2023-11-19 |title=John Woo Returns to Hollywood |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/john-woo-returns-to-hollywood-silent-night |access-date=2023-11-28 |magazine=[[The New Yorker]]}}</ref><ref name="ChicagoTribune_Elder2002" />

Despite the church's support, Woo had a challenging, impoverished childhood. He witnessed violence and crime on a daily basis, including living through the [[1967 Hong Kong riots]], and was frequently attacked by street gangs.<ref name="ChicagoTribune_Elder2002">{{Cite news |last=Elder |first=Robert K. |date=2002-06-02 |title=The two sides of John Woo |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-06-02-0206020278-story.html |access-date=2023-12-06}}</ref><ref name="TheMorningCall_1993">{{Cite news |date=1993-08-21 |title=Slam Dancing with John Woo: Chinese 'King of Carnage' Butts heads with MPAA Over First U.S. Film |work=[[The Morning Call]] |location=Allentown, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.mcall.com/1993/08/21/slam-dancing-with-john-woo-chinese-king-of-carnage-butts-heads-with-mpaa-over-first-us-film/ |access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref><ref name="Time_2008">{{Cite magazine |date=2008-07-10 |title=John Woo will now take your questions |language=en-US |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1821497,00.html |access-date=2023-12-19 |issn=0040-781X}}</ref><ref name="SCMP_1996_ActionManWoo" /> As a shy, reticent child passionate about painting and music,{{sfn|Heard|2000|p=4|loc=The Early Years: Light at the End of a Long, Dark Tunnel}} Woo found solace in both the church and the local cinema,<ref name="Variety_Garcia2002">{{Cite magazine |last=Garcia |first=Roger |date= |year=2002 |title=No. 1 with a bullet |url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/no-1-with-bullet/docview/236319974/se-2 |url-access=registration |access-date=2024-06-12 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |via=[[ProQuest]] |volume=387 |issue=4 |issn=0042-2738}}</ref>{{sfn|Woo|2005|p=5}} where he and his mother would watch foreign films together. While Woo liked [[Western (genre)|Westerns]] and [[Gangster film|gangster films]], he especially loved the escapist fantasies of American [[Musical film|musicals]] like ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'' (1939), ''[[Singin' in the Rain]]'' (1952), and ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961).{{sfn|Heard|2000|loc=The Early Years: Light at the End of a Long, Dark Tunnel|pp=5–6}}<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Weinraub1996">{{Cite news |last=Weinraub |first=Bernard |author-link=Bernard Weinraub |date=1996-02-22 |title=John Woo: Ballets With Bullets |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/22/garden/on-location-with-john-woo-ballets-with-bullets.html |access-date=2024-03-06 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="Asiaweek_HavisSeno1997">{{Cite magazine |last=Havis |first=Richard James |last2=Seno |first2=Alexandra A. |date=1997-08-29 |title=The Road to Hollywood |url=http://edition.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/97/0829/cs1.html |access-date=2024-06-12 |magazine=[[Asiaweek]] |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> After completing primary school and attending Heep Woh Secondary School, Woo began working as a [[Extra (acting)|extra]], playing various background roles for fun.{{sfn|Woo|2005|p=6}}<ref name="BBC_Pierce">{{Cite web |last=Pierce |first=Nev |title=Calling The Shots |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/callingtheshots/john_woo.shtml |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=[[BBC]]}}</ref> He would also begin broadening his cinematic knowledge, developing an enjoyment of Mandarin-language films ([[Patrick Lung]], [[King Hu]], and [[Chang Cheh]]), Japanese film ([[Akira Kurosawa]], [[Masaki Kobayashi]], [[Kon Ichikawa]], and [[Teruo Ishii]]), and European cinema ([[Jean-Pierre Melville]], [[François Truffaut]], and [[Federico Fellini]]).{{sfn|Woo|2005|p=6}} Initially considering a career as a minister, he was encouraged by the church to pursue his passion for the arts. By the time he enrolled in Matteo Ricci College, Woo would frequently skip class to self-study filmmaking.{{sfn|Heard|2000|loc=The Early Years: Light at the End of a Long, Dark Tunnel|pp=5–6}} He ultimately abandoned his education at age 16 when his father died. Financial difficulties made it impossible for his mother to enroll him in formal filmmaking studies. Instead, Woo chose to educate himself informally by immersing himself in both local and foreign cinema,<ref name="NYT_Kehr2002" /> while also resorting to stealing books on film theory from the local bookstore and library.<ref name="LATimes_Leydon1993" /><ref name="TheHarvardCrimson_Aboud1993">{{Cite news |last=Aboud |first=John |author-link=John Aboud |date=1993-08-20 |title=Hong Kong's Film King Talks of Censors, Faith |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1993/8/20/hong-kongs-film-king-talks-of/ |access-date=2023-12-18 |work=[[The Harvard Crimson]] |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts}}</ref> He got a job at the ''Chinese Student Weekly'' ({{Zh|c=中國學生周報|labels=no}}), a popular cultural youth newspaper in Hong Kong, and at the age of 19 became involved with the newspaper's informal theatre company.<ref name="LATimes_Leydon1993" />{{sfn|Heard|2000|p=7|loc=The Early Years: Light at the End of a Long, Dark Tunnel}} Through this experience, Woo made friends with other film enthusiasts, who assisted him with making [[Super 8 film|Super 8]] and [[16 mm film|16 mm]] short experimental films.<ref name="LATimes_Leydon1993" /><ref name="HKFA_JohnWooBio">{{Cite web |title=John Woo biography |url=https://www.filmarchive.gov.hk/documents/6.-Research-and-Publication/06-02-Filmmakers-Search/English/John-Woo_e.pdf |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Archive]]}}</ref> Some of these early works included ''The Evil One'' (1968), ''Secret Killer'' (1968), ''Learning by Doing'' (1969), and ''Accidentally'' (1969).{{sfn|Elder|2005|pp=xix–xx|loc=Filmography}} Woo also wrote and produced a short film directed by Sek Kei called ''Dead Knot'' ({{Zh|c=死結|labels=no}}, 1970).{{sfn|Choi|2023|p=170}}{{sfn|Woo|2005|p=18}}

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=== 1986–1992: Heroic bloodshed, breakthrough and international recognition ===

Woo's fortunes changed when filmmaker [[Tsui Hark]] asked if he would like to work on a crime drama for his production company [[Film Workshop]].{{Efn|Woo had befriended Tsui in the late 1970s, when Woo first noticed the director's television movies.<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref><ref name="LittleWhiteLies_Pinkerton2017" /> Impressed by Tsui's work, Woo personally recommended him to Cinema City, helping Tsui get his first film contract.<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> Woo would later cast him as an actor in ''Run, Tiger, Run''.{{sfn|Morton|2016|pp=|p=63|loc=Major Films: A Better Tomorrow}}}} Grateful for the opportunity, Woo returned to Hong Kong in 1985 to write and direct ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'' (1986), a gangster film about a [[Triad (organized crime)|Triad]] member torn between seeking revenge on his traitorous colleague and reconciling with his police officer brother.{{sfn|Donovan|2008|pp=179–180|p=|loc=Mayhem in Slow Motion: The Viral Cinema of John Woo and the Hong Kong New Wave}} Woo would loosely base the movie on [[Patrick Lung]]'s ''[[The Story of a Discharged Prisoner]]'' (1967), transplanting the gallant heroes from ''[[wuxia]]'' films into a contemporary setting<ref name="SCMP_Havis2021_ABetterTomorrow">{{Cite news |last=Havis |first=Richard James |date=2021-10-31 |title=How John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow launched action-film era in Hong Kong, and the wuxia and kung fu roots of hits like The Killer and City on Fire |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3154117/martial-arts-movies-guns-how-john-woos-better-tomorrow |access-date=2024-03-08 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref>{{sfn|Szeto|2011|pp=|p=24|loc=Martial Arts Cinema, The Chinese Diaspora, and Hollywood}} and adapting dialogue from his personal experiences.<ref name="TheNewYorker_Abrams2023" /> While Cinema City agreed to finance the film, casting [[Ti Lung]], [[Leslie Cheung]], and [[Chow Yun-fat]] in the lead roles, the studio gave it minimal promotion out of concern that it would under-perform at the box office.<ref name="FilmComment_Aufderheide1987">{{Cite magazine |last=Aufderheide |first=Pat |author-link=Patricia Aufderheide |date=November 1987 |title=Oriental insurgents |url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/oriental-insurgents/docview/210245827/se-2 |access-date=2024-03-08 |magazine=[[Film Comment]] |publisher=[[Film at Lincoln Center]] |page=74 |pages= |via=[[ProQuest]] |volume=23 |issue=6 |quote=Tsui is now one node of a new production network, with his own company floating on another success, John Woo's ''A Better Tomorrow''. Regarded as uncommercial when it began because it didn't fit the then-going comedy formula, the cops-and-mobs melodrama became so successful it spurred a host of look-alike films.}}</ref><ref name="BritishFilmInstitute_Bitel2019">{{Cite web |last=Bitel |first=Anton |date=2019-07-10 |title=Heroic bloodshed: How Hong Kong’s style was swiped by Hollywood |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/heroic-bloodshed-hong-kong-hollywood-cycle-influence |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422000032/https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/heroic-bloodshed-hong-kong-hollywood-cycle-influence |archive-date=2022-04-22 |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=[[British Film Institute]] |language=en}}</ref> However, ''A Better Tomorrow'' opened to wildly positive audience reception, becoming the number-one film and earning over $34.5 million HKD{{sfn|Morton|2016|pp=|p=62|loc=Major Films: A Better Tomorrow}} during its unusually long theatrical run of 61 days.{{sfn|Bordwell|2000|p=72|loc=Made in Hong Kong}} Hong Kong critics praised the film for being "explosive but sentimental" and "full of masculinity".<ref>{{cite news |last=Sek |first=Kei |author-link=Sek Kei |date=1986-08-30 |others=Translated by Edward Leung |title=Film Teahouse |trans-title= |url= |access-date= |work=[[Ming Pao]] |language=zh-HK}} Quoted in {{harvtxt|Fang|2004|pp=|p=37|loc=Hong Kong Reception, 1986}}</ref> For a while, young men in Hong Kong emulated Chow's character, Mark, by wearing sunglasses and long coats despite Hong Kong's tropical climate.{{sfn|Bliss|2002|loc=Bearing with Violence|p=29}}{{sfn|Donovan|2008|pp=|p=181|loc=Mayhem in Slow Motion: The Viral Cinema of John Woo and the Hong Kong New Wave}} It was nominated for eleven categories at the [[6th Hong Kong Film Awards]], winning two for [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film|Best Film]] and [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] for Chow.<ref name="HKFAA_6thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第6屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 6th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=http://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist06.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421212653/http://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist06.html |archive-date=2022-04-21 |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref> At the [[23rd Golden Horse Awards]], it picked up nine additional nominations, winning four for Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Recording.<ref name="GoldenHorse_23rdAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival nominees and winners |url=https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/awards/nw/?serach_type=flim&sc=8&search_regist_year=1986&ins=22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428091656/https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/awards/nw/?serach_type=flim&sc=8&search_regist_year=1986&ins=22 |archive-date=2022-04-28 |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=[[Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards|Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival]] |language=zh-TW}}</ref> ''A Better Tomorrow'' is credited as the originator of the "[[gun fu]]" fighting style in film,<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Rahman2016">{{Cite magazine |last=Rahman |first=Abid |date=2016-03-15 |title=When John Woo’s 'A Better Tomorrow' Introduced 'Gun Fu' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/john-woos-a-better-tomorrow-875740/ |access-date=2024-03-12 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> and it inspired a wave of contemporary action movies with similar gunfights and themes, kick-starting the [[heroic bloodshed]] film genre.<ref name="BritishFilmInstitute_Bitel2019" /> Woo and Chow's popularity would skyrocket following the film, and Chow would continue to appear in many of Woo's films in the future.{{sfn|Donovan|2008|pp=|p=181|loc=Mayhem in Slow Motion: The Viral Cinema of John Woo and the Hong Kong New Wave}} To capitalize on Woo's name, Golden Harvest released a heavily edited version of ''Sunset Warrior'' called ''[[Heroes Shed No Tears (1986 film)|Heroes Shed No Tears]]'' (1986), inserting additional scenes not shot by the director.{{sfn|Szeto|2011|pp=|p=74|loc=Facing Off East and West in the Cinema of John Woo}} This made only $2.8 million HKD at the box office.<ref name="LCSD_MCMS_HeroesShedNoTears1986">{{Cite web |title=Heroes shed no tears |url=https://mcms.lcsd.gov.hk/FAMS_ipac/cclib/search/showBib.jsp?oai=Y&f=e&id=65537721766405 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/rEHcV |archive-date=2024-06-03 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=LCSD Museums Collection Search Portal |publisher=[[Leisure and Cultural Services Department]]}}</ref> Woo disowns this film, stating in a 2004 interview that he has never watched the theatrical cut.<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref>{{sfn|Fang|2004|pp=|p=50|loc=Hong Kong Reception, 1986}}

Woo was hesitant to make a sequel to ''A Better Tomorrow''; he had instead written a prequel about Mark's life in Hong Kong and Vietnam.{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=75|loc=''A Better Tomorrow'' and ''A Better Tomorrow II'': A Flawed Saga}} However, he reluctantly agreed to direct ''[[A Better Tomorrow II]]'' (1987) to financially help Cinema City co-founder [[Dean Shek]], who had fallen on hard times and had left for the United States.{{sfn|Heard|2000|loc=1986–1988: A New Dawn and A Better Tomorrow|pp=|p=53}}<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> Despite Chow's character being killed off in the first film, the actor was brought back to play Mark's twin brother Ken.{{sfn|Donovan|2008|pp=|p=181|loc=Mayhem in Slow Motion: The Viral Cinema of John Woo and the Hong Kong New Wave}} Woo wanted the film's story to focus on the two brothers, and fought with Tsui over how important Shek's character would be to the plot.{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=76|loc=''A Better Tomorrow'' and ''A Better Tomorrow II'': A Flawed Saga}} Forced by Cinema City to make significant cuts in under a week in order to make the release date, Woo had to split the editing workload between him, Tsui and another editor without seeing what the finished product would look like.{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=76–77|p=|loc=''A Better Tomorrow'' and ''A Better Tomorrow II'': A Flawed Saga}} This caused significant friction when Woo discovered that Tsui had edited out many of Woo's favourite scenes to give Shek's character more screen time.<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> ''A Better Tomorrow II'' was the sixth-highest grossing movie that year, earning $23 million HKD at the box office.{{sfn|Fang|2004|pp=44–45|p=|loc=Hong Kong Reception, 1986}} In a retrospective review, Marc Savlov of ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'' noted its haphazard story, stating, "The whole thing feels like a rush job, and it shows in the less-than-brilliant set pieces that crop up from time to time."<ref name="TheAustinChronicle_Savlov1994">{{Cite news |last=Savlov |first=Marc |date=1994-01-28 |title=A Better Tomorrow II |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1994-01-28/138941/ |access-date=2024-03-16 |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]]}}</ref> The film received two nominations at the [[7th Hong Kong Film Awards]]: [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] (Cheung) and [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography|Best Action Choreography]] ([[Ching Siu-tung]]).<ref name="HKFAA_7thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第7屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 7th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist07.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

Woo next wrote and directed ''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]'' (1989), a crime movie about a [[Contract killing|contract killer]] who takes one last assassination job to help a nightclub singer he accidentally blinded.{{sfn|Donovan|2008|pp=|p=183|loc=Mayhem in Slow Motion: The Viral Cinema of John Woo and the Hong Kong New Wave}} This concept was initially rejected by Tsui, who thought that basing the story around a hitman was not commercially viable.{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=109|loc=''The Killer'': Heroism Defeated}}{{sfn|Hall|2009|pp=|p=20|loc=Production History and Background}} Chow helped rescue its production by asking [[Golden Princess Film Production|Golden Princess]], the company he was under contract with, to partially finance the film.{{sfn|Hall|2009|pp=|p=20|loc=Production History and Background}} Starring Chow, [[Danny Lee (actor)|Danny Lee]], and [[Sally Yeh]], ''The Killer'' was a moderate success locally, earning $18.2 million HKD and reaching ninth place at the Hong Kong box office.{{sfn|Morton|2009|pp=|p=164|loc=}} Nevertheless, the film attracted considerable attention abroad after several film festival screenings, helping to establish Woo as a talented action director to a Western audience.{{sfn|Fang|2004|pp=|p=65|loc=Global Reception, ca. 1997}}{{sfn|Hall|2009|pp=|p=73|loc=Woo After ''The Killer''}} Many English-language reviewers spoke favourably of its over-the-top, kinetic action sequences,<ref name="ChicagoReader_Rosenbaum">{{Cite news |last=Rosenbaum |first=Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Rosenbaum |title=The Killer |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-killer/Film?oid=1150909 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221082303/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-killer/Film?oid=1150909 |archive-date=2014-12-21 |access-date=2024-04-09 |work=[[Chicago Reader]]}}</ref><ref name="TheAustinChronicle_Maher1991">{{Cite news |last=Maher |first=Kathleen |date=1991-04-19 |title=The Killer |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1991-04-19/the-killer/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]]}}</ref><ref name="Variety_1988_TheKillerReview">{{Cite magazine |date=1988-12-31 |title=Dip Hut Seung Hung |url=https://variety.com/1988/film/reviews/dip-hut-seung-hung-1200428011/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref name="TheWashingtonPost_Hinson1991">{{Cite news |last=Hinson |first=Hal |author-link=Hal Hinson |date=1991-05-10 |title='The Killer' (NR) |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/thekillernrhinson_a0a501.htm |access-date=2024-04-09 |work=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> with ''[[The New York Times]]''<nowiki/>' [[Stephen Holden]] declaring that "the scenes of gore and destruction are even more spectacular than Hong Kong's fog-shrouded skyline."<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Holden1991">{{Cite news |last=Holden |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Holden |date=1991-04-12 |title=Blood and Bonding in Hong Kong |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/12/movies/review-film-blood-and-bonding-in-hong-kong.html |access-date=2024-04-09 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> It was also influential on [[hip hop music]], with [[Wu-Tang Clan]] member [[Raekwon]] sampling snippets of the film's dialogue for his debut album ''[[Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...]]'' (1995).<ref name="Spin_Weiss2015">{{Cite magazine |last=Weiss |first=Dan |date=2015-07-31 |title=Raekwon Answers 20 Questions for the 20th Anniversary of 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' |url=https://www.spin.com/2015/07/raekwon-only-built-4-cuban-linx-20th-anniversary-interview/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]}}</ref> At the [[9th Hong Kong Film Awards]], it was nominated for six awards, winning two for [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director|Best Director]] and [[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Editing|Best Editing]] (Fan Kung-wing, {{Zh|c=樊恭榮|labels=no}}).<ref name="HKFAA_9thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第9屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 9th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist09.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

Woo proceeded to collaborate on ''[[Just Heroes]]'' (1989), a charity project he co-directed with [[Wu Ma]] to help raise money for a now-destitute Chang Cheh. This film served as a tribute to Chang, incorporating actors who had previously worked with him.<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref>{{sfn|Morton|2009|pp=|p=165|loc=Other Films}}{{sfn|Williams|2009|pp=|p=3|loc=The Apocalyptic Moment of ''Bullet in the Head''}} ''Just Heroes'' only made $7.9 million HKD, securing the 49th spot at the Hong Kong box office that year.{{sfn|Morton|2009|pp=|p=165|loc=Other Films}} Fed up with his fractured partnership with Tsui, Woo decided to cut ties with the producer, forming his own eponymous production house called John Woo Production Company. This namesake studio would produce only one film: ''[[Bullet in the Head]]'' (1990), a wartime epic based on the prequel idea for ''A Better Tomorrow'' he had pitched to Tsui.<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> This project held deep personal meaning for Woo. Drawing from his own impoverished childhood to create the film's first half,<ref name="TheNewYorker_Abrams2023" /> he would use the backdrop of the [[1967 Hong Kong riots]] and the [[Vietnam War]] to allude to Hong Kong's anxieties over the [[1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre|Tiananmen Square massacre]] and the [[Handover of Hong Kong|upcoming 1997 handover]].<ref name=":1">{{harvtxt|Woo|2000|p=67}} quoted in {{harvtxt|Steintrager|2003|p=23}}</ref>{{sfn|Greene|2000|pp=235–236|p=|loc=}}<ref name="TheChinaProject_Shaw2020">{{Cite web |last=Shaw |first=Tristan |date=2020-06-05 |title=‘Bullet in the Head’: How the tragedy of June 4 influenced John Woo's most underrated film |url=https://thechinaproject.com/2020/06/05/bullet-in-the-head-john-woo-underrated-film/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=The China Project |language=en-US}}</ref>{{sfn|Chow|2000|pp=365–366}} Starring [[Tony Leung Chiu-wai]], [[Jacky Cheung]], and [[Waise Lee]] as three childhood friends whose relationship gets torn apart by greed, ''Bullet in the Head'' was a [[box-office bomb]], earning only $8.5 million HKD<ref name="LCSD_MCMS_BulletInTheHead1990">{{Cite web |title=喋血街頭 Bullet in the head |url=https://mcms.lcsd.gov.hk/FAMS_ipac/cclib/search/showBib.jsp?oai=Y&f=e&id=6553777772805 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/uec1E |archive-date=2021-06-25 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=LCSD Museums Collection Search Portal |publisher=[[Leisure and Cultural Services Department]]}}</ref> against its $28 million HKD budget.{{sfn|Williams|2009|pp=|p=21|loc=The Apocalyptic Moment of ''Bullet in the Head''}} It also fared poorly with critics.{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=98|loc=A New Independence: ''Bullet in the Head'' and ''Once a Thief''}} However, the film was far better received outside of Hong Kong.<ref name="TheChinaProject_Shaw2020" /> ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]''<nowiki/>'s longtime film critic John Powers declared it "far richer and more moving than ''[[The Deer Hunter|Deer Hunter]]''—to which it's an answer—this epic of friendship and war in the Saigon of the 1960s has Woo's trademark delirious intensity. Of all his films this one has the greatest sweep and passion."{{sfn|Heard|2000|pp=89–90|p=|loc=1989–1992: Woo Asserts Himself}} Nominated in four categories at the [[10th Hong Kong Film Awards]], Woo won the award for Best Editing.<ref name="HKFAA_10thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第10屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 10th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist10.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

In 1990, Woo formed another production company, Milestone Pictures, with producers [[Terence Chang]] and [[Linda Kuk]].{{sfn|Stokes|2007a|pp=|p=51|loc=}} Saddened by the poor reception of ''Bullet in the Head'', he decided to return to a more commercially-appealing premise with ''[[Once a Thief (1991 film)|Once a Thief]]'' (1991).<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> The film, a [[Heist film|heist]] comedy starring Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, and [[Cherie Chung]] as three art thieves entangled with their crooked mentor, was shot in [[Nice]] and Hong Kong without a script. Despite it turning a profit by earning over $33.3 million HKD at the box office,<ref name="LCSD_MCMS_OnceAThief1991">{{Cite web |title=縱橫四海 Once a thief |url=https://mcms.lcsd.gov.hk/FAMS_ipac/cclib/search/showBib.jsp?oai=Y&f=e&id=65537118707205 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/LJF0w |archive-date=2021-06-25 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=LCSD Museums Collection Search Portal |publisher=[[Leisure and Cultural Services Department]]}}</ref> Woo had mixed feelings about the movie, as he felt it was nonsensical at times due to the lack of proper planning.<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> [[Kevin Thomas (film critic)|Kevin Thomas]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' enjoyed the film's juxtaposition of [[screwball comedy]] and action, declaring that it "may just be the dizziest yet endearing Hong Kong caper since ''[[Peking Opera Blues]]''."<ref name="LosAngelesTimes_Thomas1994">{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin Thomas (film critic) |date=1994-01-14 |title='Once a Thief' Pulls Off a Delightful Caper |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-14-ca-11574-story.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> ''Once a Thief'' was nominated at the [[11th Hong Kong Film Awards]] in four different categories: Best Film, Best Director (Woo), Best Actor (Chow), and Best Editing ([[David Wu (Hong Kong actor)|David Wu]]).<ref name="HKFAA_11thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第11屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 11th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist11.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

By this time, Woo had begun to receive calls from [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] producers about the possibility of working on an American production.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Keeley2018" /> He had already been signed to [[William Morris Agency]], and was being represented in the United States by [[talent agent]] Christopher Godsick.<ref name="Variety_Klady1993" /> However, Woo would first wrap up filming ''[[Hard Boiled]]'' (1992), an action thriller reuniting him with both Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung Chiu-wai. ''Hard Boiled'' stemmed from Woo's anger at the uptick in violent crime in Hong Kong at the time; he wanted to make a film about justice featuring a virtuous hero.<ref name="SCMP_Havis2024_HardBoiled">{{Cite news |last=Havis |first=Richard James |date=2024-02-04 |title=The best of Hong Kong action-film making: John Woo’s Hard Boiled, explosive crime thriller starring Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung Chiu-wai |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3250538/how-john-woos-hard-boiled-explosive-crime-thriller-starring-chow-yun-fat-and-tony-leung-chiu-wai |access-date=2024-05-01 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref> Woo originally envisioned the movie to be about a psychopath who would poison baby formula, but scrapped the idea after receiving negative feedback from the American producers in contact with him.<ref name="SCMP_Havis2024_HardBoiled" /> Instead, the movie would be written around Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, a maverick police officer played by Chow who would gradually befriend an undercover cop (Leung) in order to take down a notorious gangster (played by [[Anthony Wong (Hong Kong actor)|Anthony Wong]]).{{sfn|Heard|2000|pp=99–100|p=|loc=1992: One Door Closes, Another Swings Open}} Featuring an inventive gunfight sequence shot as one [[long take]] of nearly three minutes,<ref name="Paste_Lindsey2022">{{Cite magazine |last=Lindsey |first=Craig D. |date=2022-04-15 |title=Hard Boiled Remains John Woo’s Definitive Action Movie, 30 Years Later |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/john-woo/hard-boiled-john-woo-definitive |access-date=2024-05-07 |magazine=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]}}</ref> ''Hard Boiled'' was released to positive domestic reception. ''[[Sight and Sound]]''<nowiki/>'s [[Tony Rayns]] called it "Woo's most relaxed and confident film so far, and in many ways a terrific achievement." He noted that while the plot was ordinary, the film's "details and incidentals are gleefully idiosyncratic and the visual style is a fine mix of bluesy realism and jazzy kinetics."{{sfn|Rayns|1992|pp=|p=22|loc=}} Marc Savlov of ''The Austin Chronicle'' declared it "nirvana for seekers of action, and it rarely gets any better than this."<ref name="TheAustinChronicle_Savlov1993">{{Cite news |last=Savlov |first=Marc |date=1993-09-10 |title=Movie Review: Hard Boiled |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1993-09-10/139071/ |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |language=en-US}}</ref> At the [[12th Hong Kong Film Awards]], Woo and [[David Wu (Hong Kong actor)|David Wu]] won for Best Editing; Leung was nominated for Best Supporting Male Actor.<ref name="HKFAA_12thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第12屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 12th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=http://www.hkfaa.com/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

* ''A Better Tomorrow'' (1986)

** Woo's fortunes turned around when [[Tsui Hark]], a filmmaker friend whom Woo had recommended to Cinema City, reached out to see if he was interested in writing and directing a film for [[Film Workshop]], his newfound production company

** Woo had befriended Tsui as early as 1979,<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> and had cast him in an acting role in ''Run, Tiger, Run''{{sfn|Morton|2016|pp=|p=63|loc=Major Films: A Better Tomorrow}}

** Grateful for the chance to make his passion project, Woo returned to Hong Kong in 1985 to work on ''[[A Better Tomorrow]]'' (1986), a gangster film about a [[Triad (organized crime)|Triad]] member torn between reconciliation with his police officer brother, and seeking revenge on his traitorous associate

** Woo would loosely base the film on Patrick Lung's ''The Story of a Discharged Prisoner'' (1967),<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref> transplanting the gallant heroes from ''wuxia'' films into a modern context<ref name="SCMP_Havis2021_ABetterTomorrow">{{Cite news |last=Havis |first=Richard James |date=2021-10-31 |title=How John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow launched action-film era in Hong Kong, and the wuxia and kung fu roots of hits like The Killer and City on Fire |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3154117/martial-arts-movies-guns-how-john-woos-better-tomorrow |access-date=2024-03-08 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref>{{sfn|Szeto|2011|pp=|p=24|loc=Martial Arts Cinema, The Chinese Diaspora, and Hollywood}} and adapting dialogue from his personal experiences<ref name="TheNewYorker_Abrams2023" />

* ''A Better Tomorrow II'' (1987)

** Following the original film's success

** Woo had written a prequel about Mark's life in Hong Kong and Vietnam{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=75|loc=''A Better Tomorrow'' and ''A Better Tomorrow II'': A Flawed Saga}}

** Woo said he agreed to film a sequel to help out one of the Cinema City co-founders: "[[Dean Shek]] [...] was having a lot of money problems at the time and, since we were all friends, we agreed to make ''A Better Tomorrow II'', giving him a big part, to help him out."{{sfn|Heard|2000|loc=1986–1988: A New Dawn and A Better Tomorrow|pp=|p=53}}

** Author Kenneth E. Hall asserts that Tsui had written the script loosely based off of Shek's poor treatment by his co-founders{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=75|loc=''A Better Tomorrow'' and ''A Better Tomorrow II'': A Flawed Saga}}

** Despite Chow's character being killed off in the first film, the actor was brought back to play Mark's twin brother, Ken{{sfn|Donovan|2008|pp=|p=181|loc=Mayhem in Slow Motion: The Viral Cinema of John Woo and the Hong Kong New Wave}}

**The original cut was two hours and forty minutes long; Woo was forced to trim over a hour of footage, splitting the workload between him, Tsui and another editor without seeing what the finished cut would look like{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=76–77|p=|loc=''A Better Tomorrow'' and ''A Better Tomorrow II'': A Flawed Saga}}

**This caused friction between Woo and Tsui, as Woo discovered after editing that the focus had shifted from the two brothers to Dean Shek's character<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref>

**Marc Savlov, ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'': "The whole thing feels like a rush job, and it shows in the less-than-brilliant set pieces that crop up from time to time."<ref name="TheAustinChronicle_Savlov1994">{{Cite news |last=Savlov |first=Marc |date=1994-01-28 |title=A Better Tomorrow II |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1994-01-28/138941/ |access-date=2024-03-16 |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]]}}</ref>

**The film was nominated for two awards at the [[7th Hong Kong Film Awards]]: Best Actor (Cheung) and Best Action Choreography ([[Ching Siu-tung]])<ref name="HKFAA_7thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第7屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 7th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist07.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

* ''The Killer'' (1989)

** For his next project, Woo pitched the idea of a film about a hitman to Tsui, who rejected it because he thought the concept was not commercially viable{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=109|loc=''The Killer'': Heroism Defeated}}{{sfn|Hall|2009|pp=|p=20|loc=Production History and Background}}

** According to producer [[Terence Chang]], Tsui felt that Woo had "screwed up" ''A Better Tomorrow II'', and had asked Chang to fire the director; when Chang refused to, Tsui began rejecting Woo's movie ideas{{sfn|Heard|2000|loc=1989–1992: Woo Asserts Himself|pp=|p=64}}

** ''[[The Killer (1989 film)|The Killer]]'' (1989) starred Chow as a [[Contract killing|contract killer]] named Jeff, who takes one last assassination job to help a nightclub singer ([[Sally Yeh]]) he accidentally blinded in a previous mission{{sfn|Donovan|2008|pp=|p=183|loc=Mayhem in Slow Motion: The Viral Cinema of John Woo and the Hong Kong New Wave}}

*** Jeff would be pursued by maverick police officer Li (played by [[Danny Lee (actor)|Danny Lee]])

** It was inspired by [[Teruo Ishii]]'s ''An Outlaw'' {{Nihongo|2=ならず者|4=1964}}<ref name="SCMP_Havis2022_TheKiller">{{Cite news |last=Havis |first=Richard James |date=2022-09-25 |title=What they said about The Killer: director John Woo and stars Chow Yun-fat and Sally Yeh on shooting the classic Hong Kong action movie |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3193543/what-they-said-about-killer-director-john-woo-and-stars |access-date=2024-03-18 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref>

** ''The Killer'' attracted considerable praise in film festivals abroad, helping to establish Woo to a Western audience{{sfn|Fang|2004|pp=|p=65|loc=Global Reception, ca. 1997}}{{sfn|Hall|2009|pp=|p=73|loc=Woo After ''The Killer''}}

** Woo himself believed ''The Killer'' to be one of his best films: "''The Killer'' is a nearly complete movie to me. I am never 100% satisfied. However, the technical experiments worked pretty well and helped me to establish my style. [...] It was one movie where I had total creative freedom."{{sfn|Hall|2009|pp=81–82|p=|loc=Conclusion}}

** At the [[9th Hong Kong Film Awards]], it was nominated for six awards, winning two for Best Director and Best Editing (Fan Kung-wing, {{Zh|c=樊恭榮|labels=no}})<ref name="HKFAA_9thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第9屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 9th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist09.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

* ''Just Heroes'' (1989)

** Co-directed with Wu Ma

* ''Bullet in the Head'' (1990)

** Woo shot ''[[Bullet in the Head]]'' (1990) next

** Woo spent his own money on the project{{sfn|Williams|2009|pp=|p=100|loc=Aftermath}}

** The first half of the film was largely autobiographical and drawn from Woo's impoverished childhood<ref name="TheNewYorker_Abrams2023" />

** Overall, Woo used the backdrop of the [[1967 Hong Kong riots]] and the [[Vietnam War]] to allude to the [[1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre|Tiananmen Square massacre]] the previous year<ref name=":1">{{harvtxt|Woo|2000|p=67}} quoted in {{harvtxt|Steintrager|2003|p=23}}</ref>{{sfn|Greene|2000|pp=235–236|p=|loc=}}<ref name="TheChinaProject_Shaw2020">{{Cite web |last=Shaw |first=Tristan |date=2020-06-05 |title=‘Bullet in the Head’: How the tragedy of June 4 influenced John Woo's most underrated film |url=https://thechinaproject.com/2020/06/05/bullet-in-the-head-john-woo-underrated-film/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=The China Project |language=en-US}}</ref>{{sfn|Chow|2000|pp=365–366}}

** The distributor, Golden Princess, worried that the original three-hour-long cut was too long, and asked him to re-edit the film{{sfn|Williams|2009|pp=|p=100|loc=Aftermath}}

** At the [[10th Hong Kong Film Awards]], it was nominated in four categories, with Woo winning an award for Best Film Editing<ref name="HKFAA_10thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第10屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 10th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist10.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

* In 1990, Woo formed another production company called Milestone Pictures with producers [[Terence Chang]] and [[Linda Kuk]].{{sfn|Stokes|2007a|pp=|p=51|loc=}}

* ''Once a Thief'' (1991)

** [[Kevin Thomas (film critic)|Kevin Thomas]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' liked the balance of comedy with action along with the charismatic performances of the lead actors, stating that "''Once a Thief'' may just be the dizziest yet endearing Hong Kong caper since ''[[Peking Opera Blues]]''."<ref name="LosAngelesTimes_Thomas1994">{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin Thomas (film critic) |date=1994-01-14 |title='Once a Thief' Pulls Off a Delightful Caper |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-14-ca-11574-story.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

** At the [[11th Hong Kong Film Awards]], it was nominated in four categories: Best Film, Best Director (Woo), Best Actor (Chow), and Best Editing ([[David Wu (Hong Kong actor)|David Wu]])<ref name="HKFAA_11thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第11屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 11th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=https://www.hkfaa.com/winnerlist11.html |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

* Had a brief cameo as a priest in the [[Tsui Hark]] and [[Ringo Lam]] co-directed film ''[[Twin Dragons]]'' (1992)<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Walk1999">{{Cite magazine |last=Walk |first=Gary Eng |date=1999-04-09 |title=Jackie Chan teams with John Woo |url=https://ew.com/article/1999/04/09/jackie-chan-teams-john-woo/ |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |language=en}}</ref>

* ''Hard Boiled'' (1992)

** The creation of ''[[Hard Boiled]]'' was spurred by Woo's anger at the increase in violent crime in Hong Kong at the time; he wanted to make a film about justice featuring a virtuous hero<ref name="SCMP_Havis2024_HardBoiled">{{Cite news |last=Havis |first=Richard James |date=2024-02-04 |title=The best of Hong Kong action-film making: John Woo’s Hard Boiled, explosive crime thriller starring Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung Chiu-wai |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3250538/how-john-woos-hard-boiled-explosive-crime-thriller-starring-chow-yun-fat-and-tony-leung-chiu-wai |access-date=2024-05-01 |work=[[South China Morning Post]]}}</ref>

** Originally, the film was about a psychopath who would poison babies' milk powder; this was changed when producer Terence Chang, who had been talking with American producers about giving Hollywood directorial work to Woo, received negative feedback from them about babies being killed<ref name="SCMP_Havis2024_HardBoiled" />

** [[Tony Rayns]] of ''Sight and Sound'' called it "Woo's most relaxed and confident film so far, and in many ways a terrific achievement"; while he noted that the plot was ordinary, the film's "details and incidentals are gleefully idiosyncratic and the visual style is a fine mix of bluesy realism and jazzy kinetics."{{sfn|Rayns|1992|pp=|p=22|loc=}}

** [[Kenneth Turan]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' praised the movie's "dazzling, energetic action sequences"<ref name="LosAngelesTimes_Turan1993">{{Cite news |last=Turan |first=Kenneth |author-link=Kenneth Turan |date=1993-04-30 |title='Hard-Boiled' Offers Ballet of Mass Destruction |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-30-ca-29503-story.html |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

** Marc Savlov of ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'' declared the film "nirvana for seekers of action, and it rarely gets any better than this."<ref name="TheAustinChronicle_Savlov1993">{{Cite news |last=Savlov |first=Marc |date=1993-09-10 |title=Movie Review: Hard Boiled |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1993-09-10/139071/ |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

** At the [[12th Hong Kong Film Awards]], Woo and [[David Wu (Hong Kong actor)|David Wu]] won for Best Editing; Tony Leung was nominated for Best Supporting Male Actor<ref name="HKFAA_12thAwardsWinners">{{Cite web |title=第12屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單 |trans-title=List of Nominees and Awardees of The 12th Hong Kong Film Awards |url=http://www.hkfaa.com/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Awards]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref>

* In 1992, Milestone Pictures closed{{sfn|Sun|2021|pp=|p=24|loc=}}

=== 1993–2000: Move to the United States and international success ===

After ~~finishing~~completing ''Hard Boiled'' ~~and mulling over scripts that American producers had been sending him~~, Woo was ~~visited~~encouraged by [[Universal Pictures]] producer [[James Jacks]], writer [[Chuck Pfarrer]] and action star [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]]~~. The three successfully convinced him~~ to ~~try~~pursue ~~working~~opportunities in Hollywood.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Keeley2018" /> ~~Woo felt~~Feeling constrained by the ~~smaller film industry in~~ Hong Kong, ~~and~~film ~~wanted to both expand his horizons~~industry and ~~have~~wanting a better work-life balance ~~in America.~~,<ref name="Asiaweek_HavisSeno1997" /><ref name="Asiaweek_Gee1998" /> ~~In 1992, he~~Woo closed Milestone Pictures in 1992{{sfn|Sun|2021|pp=|p=24|loc=}} and moved to [[Los Angeles]]. ~~After reviewing the scripts he had available, Woo~~He decided to ~~make~~direct ''[[Hard Target]]'' (1993), ~~with~~based aon Pfarrer's story ~~written by Pfarrer~~ inspired by "[[The Most Dangerous Game]]".<ref name="LATimes_Leydon1993" /> ~~In ''Hard Target'',~~ Van Damme ~~portrayed~~starred as an unemployed seaman who uncovers a [[human hunting]] ~~scheme~~ring while helping a woman search for her missing father. This film ~~would~~was benotable ~~credited~~for asbeing the first Hollywood film directed by an Asian director.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Keeley2018" /> ~~With ''Hard Target'',~~ Woo wanted to ~~make~~create a ~~modernized~~modern Western ~~movie.~~,<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_1993" /> ~~However,~~but hewas ~~struggled~~forced ~~with~~to ~~the~~grapple ~~layers~~with ofHollywood's bureaucracy, inincluding ~~the Hollywood system. Universal was also worried~~concerns about ~~putting a director with a limited grasp of~~his English ~~on such a large project, and hired filmmaker [[Sam Raimi]] to take over directing if Woo wasn't capable.~~skills<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Keeley2018" /><ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Staskiewicz2009" /> ~~Woo~~and ~~was~~the ~~forced~~need to re-edit the film after ~~American~~receiving ~~test~~negative ~~audiences~~feedback ~~reacted~~from ~~negatively~~[[Test toscreening|test ~~the slow-motion and freeze-frame style he had honed in Hong Kong~~screenings]].<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Harmetz1993" /><ref name="Variety_Garcia2002" /><ref name="LosAngelesTimes_Goldstein2002" /><ref name="SCMP_Havis2023_JohnWooHardTarget" /> He also had to make dozens of additional cuts to secure the desired [[Motion Picture Association film rating system|R rating]] ~~that Universal wanted~~, submitting the film to the ratings board seven times before approval.<ref name="TheWashingtonPost_Howe1993" /> ''Hard Target'' received negative reviews from critics. [[~~Motion~~Emanuel ~~Picture~~Levy]] ~~Association~~of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' ~~ratings~~called ~~board~~the film "a compromised work", stating that while Woo's action set pieces were enjoyable, the movie suffered from a generic script, "disjointed storytelling" and "uneven performances".<ref name="Variety_Levy1993" /> Richard Harrington of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' panned Van Damme's acting and criticised how much worse the film was in comparison to Woo's Hong Kong oeuvre, calling it "a disappointing affair that can probably be traced to seven ~~times~~producers ~~before~~and ~~finally~~Hollywood's ~~succeeding~~traditional inability to accommodate auteurs."<ref name="~~TheWashingtonPost_Howe1993~~TheWashingtonPost_Harrington1993" />

Following ''Hard Target'', Woo, Chang, and Godsick created an American production company called WCG Entertainment in 1994, named after their surnames.<ref name="SCMP_1996_ActionManWoo" /><ref name="Variety_Blair2010_AtWorkWithJohnWoo" /> After a brief stint with [[Cinergi Pictures]], it was announced in November of that year that he signed a two-year production deal with [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]], with a one-year option to renew.<ref name="SCMP_1996_ActionManWoo" /><ref name="UPI_1994" /><ref name="Variety_1995_AntsyAgentsMakeMutantManagers" /> However, Woo ~~then~~would ~~entered~~spend a two-and-a-half year period ofstruggling ~~limbo.~~to get his Hollywood directorial projects developed,<ref name="SCMP_Havis2023_JohnWooHardTarget" /> ~~Throughout~~only ~~1995,~~producing hea ~~had~~couple ~~instead~~of ~~been~~Chinese-language ~~working~~pictures ~~on two projects that were ultimately canceled. One was~~in ''~~Shadow War'~~[[Don't ~~with Universal~~Cry, ~~and~~ Nanking]]''~~Tears of the Sun'' with 20th Century Fox.~~,<ref name="~~SCMP_Havis2023_JohnWooHardTarget~~SCMP_Fonoroff1995" /><ref name="~~SCMP_1995_WoosBackInAction~~SCMP_1994" />~~{{sfn|Stokes|Hoover|pp=|p=310|loc=Hong~~ ~~Kong~~''[[Peace ~~Calling}}~~Hotel ~~Woo~~(film)|Peace ~~had~~Hotel]]'' ~~also~~(both ~~been~~1995), ~~considered~~and a''[[Somebody ~~potential~~Up ~~candidate~~There toLikes ~~direct~~Me ~~the~~(1996 ~~next~~film)|Somebody ~~[[James~~Up ~~Bond]]~~There ~~film,~~Likes ~~''[[GoldenEye~~Me]]'' (~~1995~~1996)~~, but ultimately turned it down~~.~~<ref name="Variety_Blair2010_TerenceChangInterview" /><ref name="TheGuardian_Heritage2014" />~~{{sfn|~~Heard~~Elder|~~2000~~2005|p=~~138~~xxxi|loc=~~1995–1996: The A-List~~Filmography}} ~~20th~~Woo ~~Century~~ultimately ~~Fox reached out~~decided to ~~Woo with~~direct an already-greenlit ~~project,~~film from 20th Century Fox called ''[[Broken Arrow (1996 film)|Broken Arrow]]'' (1996)~~, which Woo accepted~~. ~~Woo recalled, "It was sure easier to grab ''Broken Arrow'' than spend a couple of years developing something. And it was also a movie that would give me some experience with special effects."~~{{sfn|Heard|2000|pp=134–135|loc=1993–1994: The Yellow Brick Road}} ~~''Broken~~The ~~Arrow''~~film depicts the theft of two nuclear missiles by a rogue [[United States Air Force]] pilot ([[John Travolta]]) as he is pursued by his former co-pilot ([[Christian Slater]]) and a park ranger ([[Samantha Mathis]]). Woo found directing the movie an "unpleasant experience", recalling instances of meddling from the studio ~~by both an executive as well as a [[line producer]]~~.{{sfn|Stokes|Hoover|pp=|p=310|loc=Hong Kong Calling}} [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' believed that even though Woo's storytelling abilities were "at the level of cartoonish jousting", the visual effects, Travolta's performance, and action sequences "[marked] a big step forward" for the director.<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Maslin1996" /> Conversely, [[Desson Thomson|Desson Howe]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' lambasted the film for its inability to translate the kinetic action of Woo's Hong Kong movies to Hollywood.<ref name="TheWashingtonPost_Howe1996" /> Opinions on Travolta were mixed: Roger Ebert thought he was miscast,<ref name="RogerEbert_Ebert1996" /> while [[Mick LaSalle]] of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' called the decision to cast Travolta "inspired", and appreciated Woo's directorial touches throughout the film.<ref name="SanFranciscoChronicle_LaSalle1996" />

Woo's next work was ''[[Once a Thief (1996 film)|Once a Thief]]'' (1996), a [[television film]] remake of his [[Once a Thief (1991 film)|1991 movie]] that he had been asked to do a couple of years prior.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="Mediaweek_Stanley1996" /> Curious about trying something new,<ref name="Mediaweek_Stanley1996" /> Woo teamed up with [[Alliance Films|Alliance Communications]] to make the pilot for [[Fox Broadcasting Company]].<ref name="Variety_1995_CompanyFortifiesLAStronghold" /><ref name="TheWashingtonPost_Winslow1996" /> This version featured [[Sandrine Holt]], [[Michael Wong (actor)|Michael Wong]], and [[Ivan Sergei]] as the trio of thieves, with [[Nicholas Lea]] cast as a former police officer who becomes an additional love interest for Holt's character.<ref name="Variety_Horst1996" /> Armed with a budget of around $2 million, Woo shot the pilot in 26 days, a grueling pace involving 14-to-18-hour work days.<ref name="Mediaweek_Stanley1996" /> Writing for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', reviewer Carole Horst called the project "an entertaining telepic that can best be described as Woo Lite."<ref name="Variety_Horst1996" /> [[John J. O'Connor (journalist)|John J. O'Connor]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' enjoyed the action scenes, but panned the acting by describing the cast as "pretty adornments".<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_OConnor1996" /> While Fox declined to turn ''Once a Thief'' into a full-fledged series,<ref name="LosAngelesTimes_1998" /> [[The Movie Channel]] bought the pilot two years later, airing a "director's cut" version that restored unseen footage cut from the initial broadcast on Fox.<ref name="Variety_Dempsey1998" /><ref name="NewYork_Leonard1998" />

By as early as 1997, Woo and Chang formed a new production company, calling it Lion Rock Productions in reference to their Hong Kong origins and steady friendship.{{Efn|Sources vary on the exact year Lion Rock Productions was founded. An August 1997 article by the ''[[South China Morning Post]]'' mentions the formation of Lion Rock ~~Productions~~.<ref name="SCMP_1997" /> ''[[Variety]]'' reported that Lion Rock was created in 1998.<ref name="Variety_McNary2011" /> In the "Chronology" section of his book, ''John Woo: Interviews'', Robert K. Elder cites 1999 as the year Lion Rock was established.{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xviii|loc=Chronology}}}} Woo would follow up by directing ''[[Face/Off]]'' (1997), a [[science fiction]] action film about two men on opposite sides of the law who swap identities through facial transplant surgery. Woo had first been offered the film's script in 1992 by Warner Bros. when he first came to America. Despite being intrigued by the dramatic premise of having two characters swap lives, he turned it down because he was disinterested in science fiction.<ref name="DenOfGeek_Beresford2022" /><ref name="DallasObserver_Klein1997" /><ref name="Empire_Collis2000" /> After rejecting it a second time after Paramount bought the rights, he ultimately accepted the job on condition that most of the movie's science fiction elements would be removed.<ref name="ShortList_Jones2019" /> Paramount let Woo direct without interference, with chairman [[Sherry Lansing]] insisting that studio executives refrain from giving him notes to ensure Woo could impose his style on the project.{{sfn|Thompson|2005|p=151}} Starring John Travolta as FBI agent Sean Archer and [[Nicolas Cage]] as terrorist Castor Troy, ''Face/Off'' was a box office success, earning $245 million on a budget of $80 million.<ref name="TheIndependent_Fordy2022" /> While [[Desson Thomson|Desson Howe]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' thought the movie was "the maddest, most enjoyable blockbuster of the summer", he also believed that the film was "one of the strangest stories to ever get the green light at a Hollywood studio."<ref name="TheWashingtonPost_Howe1997" /> Roger Ebert praised the "terrific counterpoint" of having Travolta and Cage play each other, stating that "you find yourself reinterpreting every scene as you realize the 'other' character is 'really' playing it."<ref name="RogerEbert_Ebert1997" /> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' ultimately listed it sixth on their list of the best films of 1997.<ref name="Time_1997" />

While Fox passed up the opportunity to continue with the ''Once a Thief'' pilot, Canadian broadcaster [[CTV Television Network]] opted to pay for the broadcast rights, enabling Woo to turn the film into [[Once a Thief (TV series)|a television series]].<ref name="CalgaryHerald_Carlson1997" /> Alliance decided to spend approximately $1.3 million an episode to deliver a season of 22 episodes.<ref name="TheWindsorStar_Shaw1998" /> Woo served as executive producer for the series,<ref name="TheProvince_Inwood1997" /> with many of his frequent collaborators, such as cinematographer Bill Wong and editor [[David Wu (Hong Kong actor)|David Wu]], becoming involved in the project.<ref name="TakeOne_Alioff1998" /> Compared to the television film, the series had less violence and more comedic elements.<ref name="TheStandard_Atherton1997" /><ref name="TheOttawaCitizen_Atherton1997" /> ''Once a Thief'' debuted on 15 September 2007 on CTV,<ref name="EdmontonJournal_Helm1997" /> but was put on temporary hiatus by the winter of that year. It resumed in January 1998 with 13 more episodes,<ref name="TheProvince_McDonald1997" /><ref name="VancouverSun_Strachan1997" /> ultimately airing its last episode on 2 May 1998 as it was canceled.<ref name="CalgaryHerald_Blakey1998" /> It eventually wound up in syndication on American television by 2002.<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Taylor2002" /> At the [[12th Gemini Awards]], Woo was nominated for Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series.<ref name="TheGlobeAndMail_Vanstone1998" /> The series garnered even more accolades at the [[13th Gemini Awards]], earning three more nominations and having Bert Kish win Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or Series for his work on the episode "Rave On".<ref name="CanadianPressNewswire_McKay1998" /><ref name="Playback_1998" />

Line 148 ⟶ 101:

Woo would collaborate with Alliance once more on another two-hour television movie pilot called ''[[Blackjack (1998 film)|Blackjack]]'' (1998).<ref name="Variety_Richmond1997" /><ref name="TheVancouverSun_1997" /> This starred [[Dolph Lundgren]] as Jack Devlin, a bodyguard with a [[Chromophobia|phobia of the colour white]] who must protect a model from being murdered by her ex-husband.<ref name="Variety_Hindes1997" /> The pilot aired on [[USA Network]] to mixed reviews.<ref name="SlashFilm_Brady2022" /> [[Marc Bernardin]] of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' gave it a grade of B+, noting that while it paled in comparison to ''Hard Boiled'' and ''Face/Off'', it was better than most of the programming on USA Network.<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Bernardin1998" /> Michael Costello of ''[[AllMovie]]'' outright panned the movie, calling it a "very sorry excuse of a John Woo film" and criticising the acting, dialogue, staging, and set design.<ref name="AllMovie_Costello" /> A mixed review by ''[[TV Guide (magazine)|TV Guide]]'' stated that while the film had some solid action scenes, it was "sabotaged by lackluster acting, thin characterization, and a derivative story line."<ref name="TVGuide_BlackjackReview" /> USA Network ultimately chose to not pick it up as a series.<ref name="USAToday_Jefferson1998" />

In January 1998, it was announced that Woo signed a two-year, [[First-look deal|first-look]] production deal with [[Sony]] subsidiary [[TriStar Pictures]].<ref name="Variety_Bing2000" /> He also signed a separate contract with [[A Band Apart]] the following month to make television commercials.<ref name="Variety_Cox1998" /> Woo filmed his first commercial that month, ~~working with~~a [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] ~~to advertise their Mercurial~~ football shoe ~~with~~commercial starring the [[Brazil national football team|Brazilian national football team]].<ref name="Adweek_1998" /><ref name="FourFourTwo_2018">{{Cite magazine |date=2018-06-07 |title=Inside the greatest ad ever: Nike's brilliant 1998 Brazil airport commercial – by those who made it |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/inside-greatest-ad-ever-nikes-brilliant-1998-brazil-airport-commercial-those-who-made-it |access-date=2024-07-06 |magazine=[[FourFourTwo]]}}</ref> During this time, he also ~~helped~~was an executive ~~produce~~producer on [[Kirk Wong]]'s film ''[[The Big Hit]]'' (1998).<ref name="Variety_Cox1997" /><ref name="SanFranciscoChronicle_1998" /> ''Variety'' reported in May 1999 that [[Newmarket Capital Group]] and [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Buena Vista Film Sales]] gave Woo and Chang a two-year contract to produce action films that have been budgeted for under $20 million.<ref name="Variety_Carver1999" /> However, Woo would ~~next~~be invited by [[Tom Cruise]] to direct ''[[Mission: Impossible 2]]'' (2000), the sequel to the [[Mission: Impossible (film)|1996 spy thriller]] ~~directed by [[Brian De Palma]] and~~ starring ~~[[Tom Cruise]]. Cruise had invited Woo to helm~~ the ~~movie~~lead ~~while the latter was occupied with ''Blackjack''~~actor.{{sfn|Thompson|2005|pp=148–149}} Upon Woo's condition that the storyline contain minimal science fiction elements,<ref name="Hollywood_2001" /> a team of scriptwriters~~, including [[Wesley Strick]], [[William Goldman]], [[Michael Tolkin]], and [[Robert Towne]],~~ made several revisions to fit Woo's directorial style.{{sfn|Thompson|2005|p=149}} However, production commenced without a finalised script, and [[Robert Towne]], the sole credited screenwriter, made further alterations during filming and post-production in an effort to present a coherent narrative.<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Bonin2000_MI2sScreenplayLastMinuteWIP" /> The production was further plagued by inclement weather and crew changes,<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_2000" /><ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Baldwin1999" /> resulting in delays and ballooning production costs from $80 million to over $100 million.{{sfn|Thompson|2005|p=144}} The resulting film featured Cruise as [[Ethan Hunt]], who must work together with a professional thief (played by [[Thandiwe Newton]]) to retrieve a deadly biological weapon from a rogue agent ([[Dougray Scott]]). ''Mission: Impossible 2'' released to mixed critical reception, with many reviewers praising the action scenes but lambasting its incomprehensible story.<ref name="BBC_Gallagher2000" /><ref name="TheWashingtonPost_Hunter2000" /><ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Hunter2000" /> [[David Ansen]] of ''[[Newsweek]]'' thought that the movie was "oddly dull", believing that the film's tone did not suit either Woo nor Cruise's strengths.<ref name="Newsweek_Ansen2000" /> Writing for ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[A. O. Scott]] remarked that the stylistic differences between Woo and De Palma accounted for the "weird discontinuity" between the first film and the sequel.<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Scott2000" /> However, the movie was successful at the box office, earning over $546 million worldwide.<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_MissionImpossibleII">{{Cite web |title=Mission: Impossible II |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr891703813/ |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref>

* During the production of ''Hard Boiled'', Woo had started to field interest from Hollywood

Line 271 ⟶ 224:

**[[A. O. Scott]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' stated the stylistic differences between Woo and previous director [[Brian De Palma]] accounted for the "weird discontinuity" between the first film and the sequel<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Scott2000">{{Cite news |last=Scott |first=A. O. |author-link=A. O. Scott |date=2000-05-24 |title=Mission? Improbable, but the Pigeons Are Nifty |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/24/movies/film-review-mission-improbable-but-the-pigeons-are-nifty.html |access-date=2024-05-03 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

=== ~~2001-2007~~2001–2007: Decline in Hollywood and other ventures ===

In January 2000, Woo left Sony without having directed any films for them. He ~~decided~~ended ~~to instead~~up ~~sign~~signing Lion Rock Productions with [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM).<ref name="Variety_Bing2000" /> In October of ~~the same~~that year, ithe ~~was reported that Woo, Chang, and a couple of other companies would found~~co-founded an additional production company called Digital Rim~~. This new venture was set up~~ to ~~manage~~handle multimedia projects that ~~utilise computer graphics, such as providing~~use [[computer-generated imagery]] ~~for film and television~~.<ref name="Variety_Muttalib2000" /> Woo's first project under MGM would be ''[[Windtalkers]]'' (2002), a war film ~~examining~~about ~~the~~[[Navajo]] [[Code talker|code talkers]] ~~from the [[Navajo]] nation employed during~~in [[World War II]].<ref name="Variety_HigginsPetrikin1998" /> Woo wanted the story to focus on the friendships between the characters;<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Bonin2002" /><ref name="WindtalkersProdNotes" /> this was approved by the studio despite resistance from the screenwriters.<ref name="TheNewYorker_Abrams2023" /> The script was ~~also~~revised ~~subjected~~due to ~~edits~~objections ~~at the behest of~~from the [[United States Department of Defense]] and the [[United States Marine Corps]], who had lent production assistance tobut ~~the~~disapproved ~~film~~of ~~and objected to~~certain scenes that they felt depicted Marines negatively.<ref name="TheWashingtonPost_Robb2002" /> The ~~production~~film ~~suffered~~faced ~~from~~weather-related ~~bad weather~~delays,<ref name="TheNewYorker_Abrams2023" /> and ~~the film's release~~ was further ~~delayed~~postponed to distance ~~the movie~~itself from the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref name="SeattlePI_Arnold2002" /> ''Windtalkers'' was a box office bomb, earning only $77.6 million worldwide on a production budget of $115 million.<ref name="TheNumbers_Windtalkers2002" /> It was also critically panned; [[Peter Bradshaw]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' called it "a disappointing feature" that presented a superficial understanding of the relationship between the code talkers and the Marines.<ref name="Variety_Bradshaw2002" /> Perceiving the film as "fundamentally schlocky" with numerous [[Cliché|clichés]], [[David Edelstein]] of ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' quipped that "Woo could end up becoming the [[John Ford]] of schmaltz."<ref name="Slate_Edelstein2002" /> In a positive review however, [[Jonathan Rosenbaum]] of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' believed its "masterful storytelling" left him "moved and absorbed".<ref name="ChicagoReader_Rosenbaum2002" />

After ''Windtalkers'', Woo continued to explore television by executive producing the martial arts movie ''Red Skies'', a(2002) ~~martial arts television movie. This project~~which aired on USA Network in the summer ~~of 2002~~.<ref name="ChicagoTribune_2002" /><ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Richmond2002" /> In October 2002, it was announced that he signed a one-year ~~television deal~~agreement with [[20th Television|20th Century Fox Television]] and their sister studio [[Regency Enterprises|Regency Television]] to direct potential pilot episodes.<ref name="TelevisionWeek_Freeman2002" /> That same month, Woo contributed a short film for [[BMW]]'s [[branded content]] series ''[[The Hire]]'' (2002).<ref name="CNET_Olsen2002">{{Cite web |last=Olsen |first=Stefanie |date=2002-08-07 |title=BMW Net films go for star power |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/bmw-net-films-go-for-star-power/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=[[CNET]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="TheGuardian_Cozens2002">{{Cite news |last=Cozens |first=Claire |date=2002-08-06 |title=BMW puts top directors in driving seat |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/aug/06/advertising |access-date=2024-07-06 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The movie featured [[Clive Owen]] as a skilled BMW driver entrusted with delivering ransom money to help free a kidnapped CEO (played by [[Kathryn Morris]]).<ref name="BMWGroup_2002">{{Cite press release |title=John Woo's Hostage premieres on BMWFilms.com |date=2002-10-24 |publisher=BMW Group |url=https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/usa/article/detail/T0015380EN_US/john-woo-s-hostage-premieres-on-bmwfilms-com |access-date=2024-07-06 |location=Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey}}</ref> Woo left MGM in February 2003, signing Lion Rock Productions to a two-year first-look deal with [[Paramount Pictures]].<ref name="Variety_McNary2003_LionRockParamount" /> After producing [[Paul Hunter (director)|Paul Hunter]]'s ''[[Bulletproof Monk]]'' (2003),<ref name="Variety_Schneider2000" /><ref name="ComicBookResources_Worley2003" /> Woo would direct ''[[Paycheck (film)|Paycheck]]'' (2003), a Paramount and [[DreamWorks Pictures|Dreamworks Pictures]] co-production based on the 1953 short story "[[Paycheck (novelette)|Paycheck]]" by [[Philip K. Dick]].<ref name="Variety_McNary2002" /><ref name="Variety_McNary2003_Paycheck" /> Woo ~~saw the film's script as an opportunity~~aimed to ~~impart~~convey a hopeful message to younger viewers, while also paying homage to ~~one of his favourite directors in~~ [[Alfred Hitchcock]].<ref name="IGN_Otto2003" /><ref name="TheGeorgiaStraight_Caddell2003" /> However, he admitted he had not read any of Dick's books before directing the film, and had wanted to ~~reshape~~change the ~~screenplay~~story to de-emphasise ~~the~~its science fiction elements ~~in the original story~~.<ref name="IGN_Otto2003" />{{sfn|Macias|2005|p=169}} Starring [[Ben Affleck]] and [[Uma Thurman]] in the lead roles,<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Susman2003">{{Cite magazine |last=Susman |first=Gary |date=2003-03-28 |title=Uma joins Ben in sci-fi thriller 'Paycheck' |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/03/28/uma-joins-ben-sci-fi-thriller-paycheck/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> ''Paycheck'' grossed over $117.2 million on a budget of $60 million,<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_Paycheck">{{Cite web |title=Paycheck |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr4193407493/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> but received generally negative reviews from critics. Roger Ebert stated that while he enjoyed ''Paycheck'' on a basic level, he was disappointed by Woo's uninspired direction, stating that the director was seemingly ~~worked on the film~~working with a "clipboard and a checklist, making sure everyone is killed in the right order."<ref name="RogerEbert_Ebert2003" /> Robert Koehler of ''Variety'' called it "among the least memorable of big-screen adaptations" of Dick's work. He criticised Affleck's acting as "out of sync" with what his role required, and remarked that Thurman lacked the ferocity of her lauded performance in ''[[Kill Bill: Volume 1|Kill Bill]]'' (2003).<ref name="Variety_Koehler2003" />

Following ''Paycheck''<nowiki/>'s under-performance with critics, Woo struggled throughout the mid-2000s to get feature films developed in Hollywood. In a 2023 interview with ''[[IndieWire]]'', Woo admitted, "Because I failed with ''Paycheck'', I didn't get a good script offered to me for a long, long time."<ref name="IndieWire_Hemphill2023" /> Several projects that Woo was attached to never made it into production, including a [[Charlie Chan]] remake starring [[Lucy Liu]],<ref name="IGN_Vejvoda2003" /><ref name="IGN_Vejvoda2004" /> as well as film adaptations of ''[[Metroid]]'',<ref name="GameSpot_Calvert2004" /><ref name="IGN_Schneider2012" /> ''[[SpyHunter|Spyhunter]]'',<ref name="Variety_Brodesser2004" /><ref name="Variety_James2005_WooViewRedoCoup" /><ref name="Variety_Graser2007" /> ''[[Rainbow Six (novel)|Rainbow Six]]'',<ref name="Variety_McNary2004" /> and ''[[Masters of the Universe]].''<ref name="Variety_Harris2004" /><ref name="Empire_2004" /> In May 2003, Woo, Chang, and producer [[Brad Foxhoven]] announced the formation of ~~a new entertainment studio called~~ Tiger Hill Entertainment., ~~This~~a new studio that would initially partner with [[Sega]] to develop and publish new and existing [[video game]] properties.<ref name="IGN_2003" /><ref name="GameSpot_Calvert2003" /><ref name="Variety_Graser2003" /> Woo also stated in September of that year that he would be directing a new television adaptation of ''[[Lost in Space]]'' series.<ref name="Variety_Adalian2003_LostIsFoundAgain" /> While ~~Woo~~he did ~~got~~get the chance to film the pilot episode, the series was never picked up for syndication.<ref name="IGN_Bibbiani2018" /> ~~Woo~~After ~~served~~serving as part of the main jury at the [[2005 Cannes Film Festival]] in May,<ref name="Variety_James2005_JuriesSetForCannesStand" /><ref name="ScreenDaily_Tartaglione2005" /> Woo directed a 19-minute short film for ''[[All the Invisible Children]]'' (2005),<ref name="IGN_Gilchrist2007" /> an anthology film for [[UNICEF]] meant to raise awareness of ~~that~~underprivileged ~~year~~children.<ref name="~~Variety_James2005_JuriesSetForCannesStand~~SCMP_Chow2004" /><ref name="~~ScreenDaily_Tartaglione2005~~TheWrap_Blair2009" /> The short film, "Song Song and Little Cat", was praised by ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' for its camera work and set design.<ref name="Variety_Young2005" /> By October 2005, ~~his~~Woo's main production company, Lion Rock Productions, was no longer at Paramount.<ref name="Variety_2005" />

Over the next couple of years, Woo would spend time producing films and detouring into other mediums. In 2006, Woo collaborated with writer [[Garth Ennis]] to create a new comic book series for [[Liquid Comics|Virgin Comics]] called ''[[Seven Brothers (comics)|Seven Brothers]]'' (2006).<ref name="Variety_Gardner2006" /> This was a five-issue mini-series loosely based on the Chinese folk tale of the [[Ten Brothers]].<ref name="IGN_Goldstein2006" /> The following year, he served as producer on two movies: ''[[Blood Brothers (2007 Chinese film)|Blood Brothers]]'' by first-time director Alexi Tan,<ref name="SCMP_Tsui2007" /><ref name="TheGuardian_2006" /> and the Japanese animated film ''[[Appleseed Ex Machina]]''~~, where he gave guidance on both the story and the action sequences~~.<ref name="IGN_George2007" /><ref name="IGN_Isler2007" /> While most of Woo's video game projects at Tiger Hill Entertainment would go unrealised,<ref name="Kotaku_2013">{{Cite web |date=2013-07-05 |title=Hollywood's Long History of Mostly Failing to Make Video Games |url=https://kotaku.com/hollywoods-long-history-of-mostly-failing-to-make-video-663035349 |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=[[Kotaku]] |language=en}}</ref> he and [[Midway Games]] successfully released the [[third-person shooter]] game ''[[Stranglehold (video game)|Stranglehold]]'' (2007).<ref name="IGN_Geddes2007">{{Cite web |last=Geddes |first=Ryan |date=2007-09-05 |title=Stranglehold Ships for Xbox 360 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/05/stranglehold-ships-for-xbox-360 |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=[[IGN]] |language=en}}</ref> This was a sequel to ''Hard Boiled'', with Chow Yun-fat reprising his ~~main~~role ~~character~~as ~~role~~Tequila.<ref name="GameSpot_Surette2005">{{Cite web |last=Surette |first=Tim |date=2005-05-19 |title=Stranglehold gets a grip on next-gen consoles |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/stranglehold-gets-a-grip-on-next-gen-consoles/1100-6125719/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=[[GameSpot]] |language=en-US}}</ref> The game sold over one million copies worldwide.<ref name="MCV_2008">{{Cite magazine |date=2008-03-12 |title=UT3 and Stranglehold hit 1m sales |url=https://mcvuk.com/development-news/ut3-and-stranglehold-hit-1m-sales/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |magazine=[[MCV/Develop|MCV]]}}</ref>

* In January 2000, ''Variety'' reported that Woo and Terence Chang left Sony to sign Lion Rock Productions with MGM; Woo left Sony without ever directing a film for them<ref name="Variety_Bing2000">{{Cite magazine |last=Bing |first=Johnathan |date=2000-01-23 |title=MGM lands Lion Rock |url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/mgm-lands-lion-rock-1117761195/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

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** However, a year into production, its publisher, [[Vivendi Games|Vivendi]], canceled all of its unannounced projects before its merger with [[Activision]], which forced the team to stop development<ref name="Eurogamer_YinPoole2011">{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=2011-08-22 |title=Deus Ex writer on cancelled Ninja Gold |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/deus-ex-writer-on-cancelled-ninja-gold |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=[[Eurogamer]]}}</ref><ref name="GamesRadar_Wells2012">{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Darren |date=2012-06-28 |title=An Interview with Warren Spector |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/interview-warren-spector/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=[[GamesRadar+|GamesRadar]]}}</ref>

=== ~~2008-2017~~2008–2017: ''Red Cliff'' and return to Asian cinema ===

By the middle of 2007, Woo decided to head back to Asia to commerce production on ''[[Red Cliff (film)|Red Cliff]]'' (2008), an [[epic film]] retelling the [[Battle of Red Cliffs]] that he conceived 20 years prior as a dream project.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="IndieWire_Thompson2009" /> While he enjoyed his time in the United States, Woo disliked navigating the country's internal studio politics,<ref name="CNN_Irvine2009" /> and wanted to use his American work experience to help the Chinese film industry create a big-budget, Hollywood-style movie.<ref name="Vulture_Ebiri2009" /><ref name="Variety_Chang2010" /> However, ''Red Cliff'' proved to be a protracted, arduous affair. Woo and Chang initially struggled to find a production company that would finance the movie without a script or budget,<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Galloway2007" /> ultimately finding four different companies from Korea, China, Taiwan, and Japan.<ref name="IndieWire_Thompson2009" /><ref name="Variety_Coonan2007" /> Casting issues caused further headaches, with Chow Yun-fat dropping out of the film three days into shooting.<ref name="ScreenDaily_Yu2007" /><ref name="Variety_FraterCoonan2007_ChowDropsOut" /><ref name="ArkansasDemocratGazette_2007" /> ~~Shooting~~The production was further beset with weather issues and other problems,<ref name="TheIndependent_Coonan2008" /> including a fire that killed a stuntman and injured six others.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Dai2008" /><ref name="Variety_Coonan2008_FatalFire" /> ''Red Cliff'' was the most expensive Chinese-language film in history, costing $80 million to make.<ref name="LATimes_Lim2009" /> It was released in Asia in two parts, with international audiences receiving an abridged version condensed into a single two-hour movie.<ref name="Reuters_Goldsmith2009" /> The films collectively earned over $250 million worldwide, with the first part making $129.71 million<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_RedCliff" /> and the second part making $120.43 million.<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_RedCliffII" /> Western reviewers who saw the international cut were generally entertained by the action sequences.<ref name="TheOregonian_Levy2009">{{Cite news |last=Levy |first=Shawn |date=2009-11-24 |title=Review – the majestic sweep of "Red Cliff" |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies/2009/11/review_--_the_majestic_sweep_o.html |access-date=2024-07-24 |work=[[The Oregonian]]}}</ref><ref name="LosAngelesTimes_Turan2009">{{Cite news |last=Turan |first=Kenneth |author-link=Kenneth Turan |date=2009-11-25 |title='Red Cliff' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-25-la-et-redcliff25-2009nov25-story.html |access-date=2024-07-24 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> However, many critics complained that ~~recutting~~re-cutting the films into a single movie caused characterisation issues, pacing problems, and plot holes,<ref name="TheVillageVoice_Foundas2009">{{Cite news |last=Foundas |first=Scott |date=2009-11-17 |title=John Woo's Killer Instincts Return for Red Cliff |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/john-woos-killer-instincts-return-for-red-cliff/ |access-date=2024-07-24 |work=[[The Village Voice]]}}</ref><ref name="TheBostonGlobe_Morris2009" /><ref name="TheGuardian_Solomons2009" /> with Simon Abrams calling the Western version "out-and-out disrespect for a much vaunted filmmaker's vision."<ref name="SlantMagazine_Abrams2009" />

At the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in 2008, Woo announced that he would direct a wartime romance film called ''1949''.<ref name="SCMP_Tsui2008" /><ref name="IGN_2008" /> The film, budgeted at $40 million USD and written by [[Wang Hui-ling]], was meant to be set during the last years of the [[Chinese Civil War]].<ref name="Empire_Richards2008" /> However, in April 2009, producer Chang stated that production on ''1949'' was cancelled due to a legal dispute over the rights to the script.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Landreth2009" /><ref name="ScreenDaily_Yu2009" /> After producing Peter Lee's ''My Fair Gentleman'' ({{Zh|c=窈窕紳士|labels=no}}, 2009),<ref name="Sina_2009">{{Cite web |date=2009-09-10 |title=吴宇森监制《窈窕绅士》称沉重大片时代已过去_影音娱乐_新浪网 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2009-09-10/15422693296.shtml |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=[[Sina]]}}</ref> the next year Woo was selected to lead the jury at the [[2010 Shanghai International Film Festival]].<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Landreth2010_ShanghaiFestivalUnveilsLineup" /> He would return to work by producing and co-directing the ''[[wuxia]]'' film ''[[Reign of Assassins]]'' (2010) with Su Chao-pin ({{Zh|c=蘇照彬|labels=no}}). Intended as a vehicle for lead actress [[Michelle Yeoh]] to showcase her martial arts skills,<ref name="ScreenDaily_Shackleton2010_ReignOfAssassins" /><ref name="SCMP_Lee2010" /><ref name="HKFA_ReignOfAssassins" /> the film follows Yeoh's character, a former assassin named Drizzle, as she is pursued by her old gang in search of a valuable Buddhist relic.<ref name="FilmBusinessAsia_Elley2010">{{Cite magazine |last=Elley |first=Derek |author-link=Derek Elley |date=2010-09-03 |title=Reign of Assassins |url=http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/reign-of-assassins |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404203344/http://www.filmbiz.asia/reviews/reign-of-assassins |archive-date=2012-04-04 |access-date=2024-07-21 |magazine=[[Film Business Asia]]}}</ref> Since Su was not well-known outside of Taiwan, Woo agreed to be listed as a co-director to ease investor concerns about box office performance.<ref name="ScreenDaily_Shackleton2010_ReignOfAssassins" /> Woo primarily acted as a producer, but did direct one scene with his daughter Angeles in her first film role.<ref name="GiantRobot_Leung2011" /><ref name="TheStar_Chew2010">{{Cite news |last=Chew |first=Wan Ying |date=2010-10-08 |title=John Woo and his first martial arts production |url=http://ecentral.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/8/movies/7164934&sec=movies |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010060337/http://ecentral.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/8/movies/7164934&sec=movies |archive-date=2010-10-10 |access-date=2024-07-21 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]}}</ref> ''Reign of Assassins'' made $13.3 million at the box office.<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_ReignOfAssassins">{{Cite web |title=Reign of Assassins |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1460743/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> It received generally positive reviews, with some critics questioning the implausible plot.<ref name="TheIndependent_Quinn2013" /><ref name="TodayOnline_Ng2010" /> [[Peter Bradshaw]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' thought that despite a few interesting moments, multiple elements of the film "all [looked] a bit samey".<ref name="TheGuardian_Bradshaw2013" /> The movie was nominated for 11 awards at the [[30th Hong Kong Film Awards]].<ref name="HKFAA_30thAwardsWinners" />

Woo would co-produce a few more projects over the next couple of years. He was an executive producer on a South Korean remake of ''[[A Better Tomorrow (2010 film)|A Better Tomorrow]]'' (2010) directed by [[Song Hae-sung]].<ref name="TheKoreaTimes_Lee2010">{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Hyo-won |date=2010-09-09 |title=Tomorrow ripe with Korean-style drama |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/04/689_72808.html |access-date=2024-07-23 |work=[[The Korea Times]]}}</ref> The following year, he ~~would produce~~produced ''[[Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale]]'' (2011), a Taiwanese historical drama directed by [[Wei Te-sheng]] about the [[Musha Incident]] in 1930.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Szalai2011" /><ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_2012" /> Additionally, Woo was a producer on an animated web series based on his ''[[Seven Brothers (comics)|Seven Brothers]]'' graphic novel, which aired on [[Machinima, Inc.|Machinima]].<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Bhushan2011" /><ref name="DigitalSpy_Langshaw2011" /> Woo would also make a small acting appearance as [[Lin Sen]] in ''[[The Founding of a Party]]'' (2011), a mainland Chinese film produced by the state-owned [[China Film Group Corporation|China Film Group]] to commemorate the [[60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China]].{{efn|Woo also had a bit part in an earlier historical drama called ''[[The Founding of a Republic]]'' (2009), but his part was cut.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_2010">{{Cite web |date=2010-07-28 |title=Woo first star to join propaganda film cast |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/woo-first-star-join-propaganda-25985/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>}}

In ~~December~~January ~~2011~~2012, itWoo ~~was~~restarted ~~announced that production~~work on ''1949'' ~~would resume~~ under the new working title of ''Love and Let Love''.<ref name="IndieWire_Lyttelton2011" /><ref name="TheKoreaHerald_Lee2011" /> However, ~~this~~he would behalt ~~halted~~production shortly asafter ~~Woo~~to quietly ~~underwent~~undergo treatment for a medical issue.<ref name="SCMP_Mottram20142" /> The project resumed in 2013,<ref name="ScreenAnarchy_Marsh2013" /><ref name="ChinaDaily_Bi2013" /> with shooting beginning in July of that year.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Brzeski2013" /> Starring a pan-Asian cast including [[Song Hye-kyo]], [[Takeshi Kaneshiro]], [[Bowie Lam]], [[Zhang Ziyi]], [[Tong Dawei]], and [[Faye Yu]],<ref name="FilmBusinessAsia_FraterCremin2013" /> the movie was released in two parts under the new name ''[[The Crossing (2014 film)|The Crossing]]'' (2014).<ref name="Deadline_Tartaglione2015" /> The first part earned only $32.81 million at the box office,<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_TheCrossing" /> and the second part fared even worse, garnering only $8.07 million.<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_TheCrossing2" /> A reviewer for ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' stated that part two "features no intriguing new turns and has nothing meaningful to say", declaring that Woo should have re-edited the movie into a single film.<ref name="Variety_Lee2015" /> The ''[[South China Morning Post]]'' was even harsher in its criticism, saying that the movie's "ending will cause audiences to feel "resigned acceptance that Hong Kong cinema has lost one of its truly great directors."<ref name="SCMP_Marsh2015" /> Following the disappointing financial returns of ''The Crossing'', Woo and Chang disbanded Lion Rock Productions.<ref name="ScreenDaily_Shackleton2017_TerenceChangTalks" />

Woo would next work with [[Media Asia Entertainment Group|Media Asia]] on ''[[Manhunt (2017 film)|Manhunt]]'' (2017), a remake of the [[Manhunt (1976 film)|1967 film]] directed by [[Junya Sato|Junya Satō]] about an attorney being framed for crimes he did not commit. Woo dedicated this project to [[Ken Takakura]], the star of the original film who died in 2014.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Coonan2015" /><ref name="Deadline_Jaafar2015" /> After several blockbuster films, Woo was happy to work on a smaller production. Eager to revisit familiar themes like brotherhood and justice,<ref name="Variety_Frater2017" /><ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Coonan2015" /> Woo changed the protagonist's nationality to Chinese in order to explore the dynamics of cross-cultural cooperation between China and Japan.<ref name="SCMP_Mottram2017" /> Featuring [[Zhang Hanyu]] and [[Masaharu Fukuyama]] in the lead roles, ''Manhunt'' flopped at the box office, grossing only $18.3 million ~~wordlwide~~worldwide<ref name="TheNumbers_Manhunt2017" /> against a budget of $50 million.<ref name="ScreenDaily_Shackleton2017_ManhuntBudget" /> Reviews were generally positive, with critics finding the kitschy, self-referential film an enjoyable return to form, if at times overly melodramatic and silly.{{Efn|Attributed to multiple references.<ref name="IndieWire_Ehrlich2018">{{Cite web |last=Ehrlich |first=David |date=2018-05-04 |title='Manhunt' Review: John Woo Comes to Netflix With His Most Gloriously Ridiculous Action Movie Since 'Face/Off' |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/manhunt-review-john-woo-netflix-1201960517/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=[[IndieWire]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="RogerEbert_Abrams2018">{{Cite web |last=Abrams |first=Simon |title=Manhunt |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/manhunt-2018 |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Nashawaty2018">{{Cite magazine |last=Nashawaty |first=Chris |date=2018-05-04 |title=Lower your expectations for John Woo's new Netflix film Manhunt: EW Review |url=https://ew.com/movies/2018/05/04/john-woo-manhunt-ew-review/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref><ref name="TheGuardian_Bradshaw2017">{{Cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Bradshaw |date=2017-09-15 |title=Manhunt review – John Woo rolls back the years with big pharma bullet-barrage |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/15/manhunt-review-john-woo-toronto-film-festival-tiff |access-date=2024-08-08 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="ScreenDaily_Romney2017">{{Cite magazine |last=Romney |first=Jonathan |date=2017-09-07 |title='Manhunt': Venice Review |url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/manhunt-venice-review/5122041.article |access-date=2024-08-08 |magazine=[[Screen International|Screen Daily]]}}</ref>}}

* Woo said that even though he enjoyed his time working in Hollywood, he disliked the internal politics of its studios and trying to please its executives<ref name="CNN_Irvine2009">{{Cite web |last=Irvine |first=Dean |date=2009-02-11 |title=John Woo: Master of the explosive epic |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/02/04/ta.johnwoo/index.html |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

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** Leung then returned to replace Chow<ref name="CBCNews_2007">{{Cite news |date=2007-04-19 |title=Tony Leung steps in, again, for Woo's Chinese epic |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/tony-leung-steps-in-again-for-woo-s-chinese-epic-1.632425 |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[CBC News]]}}</ref>

** Filming was plagued by weather issues and other delays;<ref name="TheIndependent_Coonan2008">{{Cite news |last=Coonan |first=Clifford |date=2008-06-14 |title=The curse of Red Cliff - John Woo's £40m problem |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/the-curse-of-red-cliff-john-woo-s-pound-40m-problem-847454.html |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[The Independent]] |language=en}}</ref> a stuntman was killed and six others injured in a fire during production<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Dai2008">{{Cite magazine |last=Dai |first=Alex S. |date=2008-06-10 |title=Stuntman dies on set of Woo’s ‘Red Cliff’ |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/stuntman-dies-set-woos-red-113516/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref name="Variety_Coonan2008_FatalFire">{{Cite magazine |last=Coonan |first=Clifford |date=2008-06-10 |title=Fatal fire halts Woo’s ‘Red Cliff’ |url=https://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/fatal-fire-halts-woo-s-red-cliff-1117987193/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

** The movie cost $80 million, making it the most expensive Chinese-language film in history<ref name="LATimes_Lim2009">{{Cite news |last=Lim |first=Dennis |date=2009-11-22 |title=John Woo revisits Chinese roots with 'Red Cliff' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-22-la-ca-woo22-2009nov22-story.html |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="DerSpiegel_Umard2009">{{Cite news |last=Umard |first=Ralph |date=2009-03-12 |title=Im Land der fliegenden Körperteile |trans-title=In the land of flying body parts |url=https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/kino/china-epos-red-cliff-im-land-der-fliegenden-koerperteile-a-664576.html |access-date=2024-08-24 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |language=de}}</ref>

** The film collectively earned over $250 million worldwide, with the first part making $129.71 million<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_RedCliff">{{Cite web |title=Red Cliff |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0425637/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> and the second part making $120.43 million<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_RedCliffII">{{Cite web |title=Red Cliff II |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1326972/ |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref>

** In Asia, the movie was released in two parts; for Western audiences the plot was condensed into a single film<ref name="Reuters_Goldsmith2009">{{Cite news |last=Goldsmith |first=Belinda |date=2009-06-09 |title=John Woo on a new mission: boosting Chinese films |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5580UB/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

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** ''Manhunt'' flopped at the box office, grossing a worldwide total of $18.3 million<ref name="TheNumbers_Manhunt2017">{{Cite web |title=Zhui bu (2017) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Zhui-bu-(China)-(2017) |access-date=2023-12-02 |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC}}</ref> on a budget of $50 million<ref name="ScreenDaily_Shackleton2017_ManhuntBudget">{{Cite web |last=Shackleton |first=Liz |date=2017-03-13 |title=The 24 hottest projects at this year's Hong Kong Filmart |url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/the-24-hottest-projects-at-this-years-hong-kong-filmart-/5115634.article |access-date=2023-12-02 |website=[[Screen International|Screen Daily]] |language=en}}</ref>

=== ~~2021-present~~2021–present: ''Silent Night'' and return to Hollywood ===

In October 2021, Woo announced plans to produce a live-action version of ''Monkey Master'', based on an unreleased comic book story created by [[Stan Lee]] and [[Sharad Devarajan]].<ref name="Variety_Ramachandran2021" /><ref name="GamesRadar_Williams2021" /> He had always wanted to create a film about the [[Monkey King]], but struggled to find a unique angle until discovering Lee's version.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Brzeski2021" /> Woo's next film, ''[[Silent Night (2023 film)|Silent Night]]'' (2023), was a gritty action film about a father who takes revenge on a gang for damaging his vocal chords and killing his son. He had been searching for a unique smaller-scale project, and found the premise of directing a movie with minimal spoken dialogue intriguing.<ref name="Polygon_Volk2023" /><ref name="Deadline_Shackleton2022" /><ref name="TheGuardian_Bramesco2023" /> For both budgetary reasons and as a personal challenge, Woo refrained from using much of his cinematic style, choosing to stage more realistic fight scenes.<ref name="LATimes_Yamato2023" /> Featuring [[Joel Kinnaman]] and a supporting cast of [[Kid Cudi]], [[Harold Torres]], and [[Catalina Sandino Moreno]], ''Silent Night'' polarised critics and earned only $11 million worldwide.<ref name="Metacritic_SilentNight">{{Cite web |title=Silent Night |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/silent-night-2023/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=[[Metacritic]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="BoxOfficeMojo_SilentNight">{{Cite web |title=Silent Night |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt15799866/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> [[Richard Roeper]] praised Woo's direction and Kinnaman's performance, stating that "there's something undeniably refreshing about Woo's reliance on sound, movement and sometimes flashy camera moves to tell his very simple but effective revenge tale."<ref name="ChicagoSunTimes_Roeper2023" /> Conversely, David Erhlich of ''[[IndieWire]]'' lambasted the movie's banal plot, gimmicky premise, and Woo's overindulgent approach, saying that it "rewards your patience with a massive piece of coal."<ref name="IndieWire_Ehrlich2023">{{Cite web |last=Ehrlich |first=David |date=2023-11-27 |title=‘Silent Night’ Review: John Woo’s Dialogue-Free Xmas Movie Is an Unholy Misfire |url=https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/silent-night-review-john-woo-1234929119/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=[[IndieWire]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

Woo announced in October 2021 that he would produce a live-action version of ''Monkey Master'', based on an unreleased comic book story created by [[Stan Lee]] and [[Sharad Devarajan]].<ref name="Variety_Ramachandran2021" /><ref name="GamesRadar_Williams2021" /> Woo explained that he had always wanted to create a film based on the [[Monkey King]], but had struggled to come up with an original way to retell the iconic character's story until he discovered Lee's version.<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Brzeski2021" /> His next directorial work was ''[[Silent Night (2023 film)|Silent Night]]'' (2023), a realistically gritty action film featuring minimal spoken dialogue.

Woo would soon direct and produce ''[[The Killer (2024 film)|The Killer]]'' (2024), a remake of his 1989 film.<ref name="Deadline_Kroll2023" /> This was a long-gestating project stuck in [[development hell]] since it was first announced in 1992.<ref name="EntertainmentWeekly_Wells1992">{{cite magazine |last=Wells |first=Jeffrey |date=1992-06-19 |title=Orient Excess |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,310846,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421064154/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,310846,00.html |archive-date=2009-04-21 |access-date=2024-08-08 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref><ref name="Variety_McNary2011">{{Cite magazine |last=McNary |first=Dave |author-link=Dave McNary |date=2011-01-31 |title=John Woo to remake his own 'Killer' |url=https://variety.com/2011/film/news/john-woo-to-remake-his-own-killer-1118031236/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref name="ScreenDaily_Gallagher2015">{{Cite magazine |last=Gallagher |first=Chris |date=2015-10-26 |title=John Woo keeps aim on 'The Killer' remake |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/john-woo-keeps-aim-on-the-killer-remake/5095930.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027145109/http://www.screendaily.com/news/john-woo-keeps-aim-on-the-killer-remake/5095930.article |archive-date=2015-10-27 |access-date=2024-08-08 |magazine=[[Screen International|Screen Daily]]}}</ref> Initially refusing to direct a remake of his own movie, Woo reconsidered after being inspired by the idea of making the protagonist female.<ref name="NBC_Weiss2024" /> In this version, a Parisian assassin ([[Nathalie Emmanuel]]) allies with a detective ([[Omar Sy]]) after she angers her handler for refusing to kill a woman that she blinded.<ref name="Deadline_Grobar2022" /><ref name="Deadline_Kroll2023" /><ref name="NBC_Weiss2024" /> The film was released on [[Universal Pictures]]' streaming service [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]] on 23 August 2024 to mixed reviews.<ref name="IGN_Vejvoda2024" /><ref name="Metacritic_TheKiller" /> Roeper declared ''The Killer'' "easily one of the best action movies of the year", praising Woo's stylish direction and Emmanuel's performance.<ref name="ChicagoSunTimes_Roeper2024" /> ''[[Slant Magazine|Slant]]'' conversely was critical of its lack of depth compared to the original, and found the remake's more optimistic ending "dishonest and patronizing".<ref name="SlantMagazine_Cole2024" />

Woo is currently working on multiple projects.<ref name="SanFranciscoChronicle_Johnson2024">{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=G. Allen |date=2024-08-22 |title=John Woo is making a comeback with 'The Killer' – and maybe a musical? |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/movies-tv/article/the-killer-john-woo-19652900.php |access-date=2024-08-22 |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]}}</ref> In September 2024, he signed with talent agency Independent Artist Group.<ref name="Deadline_FlemingJr2024">{{Cite web |last=Fleming, Jr. |first=Mike |date=2024-09-26 |title=‘The Killer’ Helmer John Woo Signs With Independent Artist Group |url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/the-killer-helmer-john-woo-signs-with-independent-artist-group-1236100693/ |access-date=2024-09-27 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |language=en-US}}</ref> That same month, Woo also confirmed that he was working on a "half-musical" with pop duo [[Sparks (band)|Sparks]], who will be providing the script and the songs.<ref name="Empire_Travis2024" /> Other plans in development include a [[Western film]],<ref name="TheWrap_Taylor2024">{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Drew |date=2024-08-23 |title=How John Woo Finally Resurrected ‘The Killer’ |url=https://www.thewrap.com/john-woo-the-killer-remake-interview/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=[[TheWrap]] |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as a film about Dean Lung, a [[Chinese Americans|Chinese American]] valet of [[Horace Carpentier]] who helped [[Columbia University]] fund their Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.<ref name="Variety_Balaga2022_WooDevelopsDeanLung" /><ref name="Deadline_Shackleton2022" />

* Woo had been originally slotted to direct a portion of the anthology film ''[[Septet: The Story of Hong Kong]]'', but withdrew from production for personal reasons<ref name="HK01_Chan2022">{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Wing-si 陳穎思 |date=2022-07-27 |title=七人樂隊｜吳宇森「歸隊」拍片力撐：令我們想到將來會有更好的事 |trans-title=Septet: John Woo "returns" to support the film: It makes us think of better things to come |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/797177/%E4%B8%83%E4%BA%BA%E6%A8%82%E9%9A%8A-%E5%90%B3%E5%AE%87%E6%A3%AE-%E6%AD%B8%E9%9A%8A-%E6%8B%8D%E7%89%87%E5%8A%9B%E6%92%90-%E4%BB%A4%E6%88%91%E5%80%91%E6%83%B3%E5%88%B0%E5%B0%87%E4%BE%86%E6%9C%83%E6%9C%89%E6%9B%B4%E5%A5%BD%E7%9A%84%E4%BA%8B |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=[[HK01]] |language=zh-HK}}</ref><ref name="HKFilmCriticsSociety_2021">{{Cite web |date=2021-05-26 |title=《七人樂隊》映後分享（嘉賓：杜琪峯先生） |trans-title=Post-screening sharing of ''Septet'' (Guest: Mr. Johnnie To) |url=https://www.filmcritics.org.hk/zh-hant/node/2897 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=[[Hong Kong Film Critics Society]] |language=zh-hant}}</ref>

* Woo announced in October 2021 that he would produce a live-action version of ''Monkey Master'', based on an unreleased story created by [[Stan Lee]] and [[Sharad Devarajan]].<ref name="Variety_Ramachandran2021">{{Cite magazine |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |date=2021-04-01 |title=John Woo to Produce Live-Action Adaptation of Stan Lee's 'Monkey Master' |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/john-woo-stan-lee-monkey-master-1234941619/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="GamesRadar_Williams2021">{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Stephanie |date=2021-04-01 |title=John Woo directing adaptation of unreleased Stan Lee comic-book |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/john-woo-directing-adaptation-of-unreleased-stan-lee-comic-book/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=[[GamesRadar+|GamesRadar]] |language=en}}</ref>

** Woo explained that he always wanted to create a film based on the [[Monkey King]], but struggled to come up with an original way to retell the iconic character's story until he discovered Lee's unique version<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Brzeski2021">{{Cite magazine |last=Brzeski |first=Patrick |date=2021-04-02 |title=John Woo to Produce Chinese Superhero Movie Based on Story by Stan Lee |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/john-woo-to-produce-chinese-superhero-movie-based-on-story-by-stan-lee-4160101/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

* ''Silent Night'' (2023)

** Woo said that he was frustrated by the lack of scripts that were interesting to him, saying that he had been pigeonholed into doing historical films in China, and big, commercial action films in Hollywood<ref name="Polygon_Volk2023">{{Cite web |last=Volk |first=Pete |date=2023-11-28 |title=John Woo on returning to Hollywood at 77 and trying ‘to do it a bit different’ |url=https://www.polygon.com/23972576/john-woo-silent-night-movie-interview-hollywood-return |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

** Woo said that in Hollywood, he was never sent any scripts for more personal, smaller-scale films because he became established as a big-budget action director<ref name="RollingStone_Stern2023">{{Cite magazine |last=Stern |first=Marlow |date=2023-12-01 |title=Why John Woo Took a 20-Year Break From Hollywood |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/john-woo-interview-hollywood-absence-silent-night-tom-cruise-face-off-the-killer-1234904399/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="TheRinger_Surrey2023">{{Cite web |last=Surrey |first=Miles |date=2023-12-04 |title="I Don’t Play by the Rules": John Woo Returns to Hollywood With a Blood-Soaked Christmas Thriller |url=https://www.theringer.com/movies/2023/12/4/23984719/john-woo-new-movie-silent-night-interview-joel-kinnaman |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] |language=en}}</ref>

** Asking his agents for compelling scripts, Woo was intrigued by one that [[Thunder Road Films]] sent him containing no dialogue<ref name="Deadline_Shackleton2022">{{Cite web |last=Shackleton |first=Liz |date=2022-07-18 |title=John Woo On His Return To U.S. Filmmaking, New Project About Columbia University Donor Dean Lung & Remake Of ‘The Killer’ |url=https://deadline.com/2022/07/john-woo-dean-lung-silent-night-the-killer-1235071598/ |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="TheGuardian_Bramesco2023">{{Cite news |last=Bramesco |first=Charles |date=2023-11-30 |title=The return of John Woo: 'I still know what I'm doing' |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/nov/30/john-woo-silent-night-movie |access-date=2023-11-30 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

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** ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''<nowiki/>'s [[Frank Scheck]] enjoyed Woo's kinetic action sequences and "gorgeously fluid" visual transitions; he said "the film’s lack of dialogue proves not a gimmick but an asset."<ref name="TheHollywoodReporter_Scheck2023">{{Cite magazine |last=Scheck |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Scheck |date=2023-11-27 |title=‘Silent Night’ Review: Joel Kinnaman in John Woo’s Gripping Hollywood Comeback |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/silent-night-review-john-woo-joel-kinnaman-1235669307/ |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

** [[Richard Roeper]] said, "there’s something undeniably refreshing about Woo’s reliance on sound, movement and sometimes flashy camera moves to tell his very simple but effective revenge tale."<ref name="ChicagoSunTimes_Roeper2023">{{Cite news |last=Roeper |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Roeper |date=2023-11-30 |title='Silent Night': Joel Kinnaman is no talk, all action in brutal, dialogue-free thriller |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2023/11/29/23979704/silent-night-review-joel-kinnaman-movie-john-woo |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |language=en}}</ref>

*''The Killer'' (~~upcoming~~2024)

**Woo is planning to direct and produce a remake of his 1989 film for [[Universal Pictures]]' [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]] streaming service<ref name="IndieWire_Bergeson2022_TheKillerRemake">{{Cite web |last=Bergeson |first=Samantha |date=2022-05-02 |title=John Woo Set to Finally Remake His Own Classic ‘The Killer’ — for Peacock |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/john-woo-remake-the-killer-peacock-1234721291/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[IndieWire]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Deadline_Petski2022">{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=2022-05-02 |title=Original Films From LeBron James, Will Packer & John Woo To Premiere On Peacock In 2023 |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/original-films-from-lebron-james-will-packer-john-woo-to-premiere-on-peacock-in-2023-1235014097/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

**It stars [[Nathalie Emmanuel]] as an assassin who allies with a detective (played by [[Omar Sy]]) after she angers her handler for refusing to kill a blind woman at a nightclub<ref name="Deadline_Grobar2022">{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2022-08-04 |title=‘Lupin’s Omar Sy To Lead John Woo’s Reimagining Of ‘The Killer’ For Peacock |url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/lupins-omar-sy-to-lead-john-woos-reimagining-of-the-killer-for-peacock-1235085318/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Deadline_Kroll2023">{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=2023-03-14 |title=‘Game Of Thrones’ Nathalie Emmanuel To Co-Star Opposite Omar Sy In ‘The Killer’ For Universal, Peacock And John Woo |url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/game-of-throness-nathalie-emmanuel-omar-sy-universal-pictures-the-killer-remake-peacock-1235298609/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="NBC_Weiss2024">{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Josh |date=2024-08-02 |title=The Killer: Everything to Know About John Woo's Peacock Action Film |url=https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/the-killer-john-woo-peacock-remake-everything-to-know |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=[[NBC]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

**Woo was at first hesitant to direct a remake of his own movie, but reconsidered after the idea of a female protagonist was pitched to him<ref name="NBC_Weiss2024" />

**The film ~~will be~~was released on Peacock on 23 August 2024<ref name="IGN_Vejvoda2024">{{Cite web |last=Vejvoda |first=Jim |date=2024-06-20 |title=The Killer: Exclusive First Look at John Woo and Peacock's Reimagining of the Action Classic |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-killer-exclusive-first-look-at-john-woo-and-peacocks-reimagining-of-the-action-classic |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=[[IGN]] |language=en}}</ref>

**The film divided critics<ref name="Metacritic_TheKiller">{{Cite web |title=The Killer |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-killer-2024/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref>

**[[Richard Roeper]] declared the movie "easily one of the best action movies of the year", praising Woo's stylish direction and Emmanuel's performance<ref name="ChicagoSunTimes_Roeper2024">{{Cite news |last=Roeper |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Roeper |date=2024-08-23 |title=In remake of 'The Killer,' action master John Woo brings gravity and beauty to assassin story |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2024/08/23/the-killer-review-peacock-movie-nathalie-emmanuel-john-woo |access-date=2024-08-23 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]}}</ref>

**On the other hand, Jake Cole of ''[[Slant Magazine|Slant]]'' found the film devoid of the complex relationships the original 1989 film had, aiming additional criticism at the remake's more optimistic ending for feeling "dishonest and patronizing"<ref name="SlantMagazine_Cole2024">{{Cite magazine |last=Cole |first=Jake |date=2024-08-23 |title='The Killer' Review: John Woo's Remake of His 1989 Masterpiece Coasts Flatly on Style |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-killer-review-john-woo/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |magazine=[[Slant Magazine]]}}</ref>

*Musical project with Sparks (tentative)

**In September 2024, Woo confirmed with ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' that he was working on a "half-musical", with pop duo [[Sparks (band)|Sparks]] providing the script and the songs<ref name="Empire_Travis2024">{{Cite magazine |last=Travis |first=Ben |date=2024-09-09 |title=John Woo's Next Film Is 'A Half-Musical' With Sparks: 'My First Movie Where I Don’t Need A Stuntman' |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/john-woo-half-musical-sparks-exclusive/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |magazine=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]}}</ref>

*Project about Dean Lung (tentative)

**Woo has mentioned wanting to direct a film about Dean Lung, a [[Chinese Americans|Chinese American]] valet of [[Horace Carpentier]] who had helped [[Columbia University]] fund their Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures<ref name="Variety_Balaga2022_WooDevelopsDeanLung">{{Cite magazine |last=Balaga |first=Marta |date=2022-07-18 |title=John Woo Develops Historical Drama 'Dean Lung' |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/john-woo-dean-lung-1235318817/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref name="Deadline_Shackleton2022" />

== Personal life ==

Woo is a private individual, and prefers to avoid discussing his personal life.<ref name="Asiaweek_HavisSeno1997" /> He identifies as a Christian.<ref name="RollingStone_Stern2023" /> Despite his films' violent subject matter, he considers himself a pacifist who dislikes brutality.<ref name="BrightLightsFilmJournal_Sandell1994" /><ref name="TheIndependent_Jackson1993" /> In a 1997 interview, he admitted that he had never fired a gun before in his life.<ref name="SCMP_Havis2022_JohnWooInterview" />

Woo is married to Anne Niu Chung-lung ({{Zh|c=牛春龍|labels=no}}), a former script supervisor for Chang Cheh whom Woo had first met in 1975.<ref name=":4" /> They married in Los Angeles on 5 March 1976,{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xvii|loc=Chronology}}<ref name="SCMP_2003" /> moving to the [[Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles|Pacific Palisades]] neighbourhood in 1992 once Woo began working in Hollywood.<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Weinraub1997" /><ref name="ChicagoTribune_Elder2002" /> The couple have three children together. Their middle child, Angeles Woo Fei-shai ({{Zh|c=吳飛霞|labels=no}}, born 1978 in Los Angeles),{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xvii|loc=Chronology}} is working in the film industry. She has directed some short films of her own,<ref name="SCMP_2003" /> and has had small acting roles in some of her father's movies.<ref name="AsiaOne_2014" /><ref name="YonhapNewsAgency_Shim2017" /> Woo became an American citizen on 12 January 1999.{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xviii|loc=Chronology}}

In 2012, Woo took an extended leave of absence from work to deal with a health problem. Both ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' and ''[[The Straits Times]]'' reported that he had throat cancer.<ref name="Variety_Frater2014_WooSetsCrossingRelease" /><ref name="TheStraitsTimes_Lui2014" /> However, Woo denied this in May of that year, claiming that doctors had found and removed a benign tonsil [[Neoplasm|tumour]] that was not [[Malignancy|malignant]].<ref name="InformationTimes_Sina_2012" />

* Woo is married to Anne Chung-lung Niu ({{Zh|c=牛春龍|labels=no}})

* She had been a script supervisor for Chang Cheh, and had been receiving training from actor Chung Chang's film school when she and Woo first met in 1975<ref name=":4">[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref>

* Woo and Niu first met in 1975, before Woo began filming ''Hand of Death''<ref>[[#Elder2004Interview|Elder 2005]]</ref>

* Woo and Niu married in Los Angeles on 5 March 1976{{sfn|Elder|2005|p=xvii|loc=Chronology}}<ref name="SCMP_2003" />

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=== Style ===

* Woo's intention was to create a unified style between dialogue and action; he felt that Hong Kong films had noticeably distracting stylistic shifts whenever an action choreographer would take over the direction for fight scenes<ref name="NYT_Yu2023">{{Cite news |last=Yu |first=Brandon |date=2023-12-01 |title=John Woo Has Seen a Lot in Hollywood. He’s Finally Back for More. |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/01/movies/john-woo-silent-night.html |access-date=2023-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201234929/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/01/movies/john-woo-silent-night.html |archive-date=2023-12-01}}</ref>

* Woo wanted this unification because he wanted the fight scenes to play out as emotionally as he envisioned it in his mind<ref name="Letterboxd_Rife2022">{{Cite web |last=Rife |first=Katie |date=2022-07-27 |title=Heroic Bloodshed: John Woo on action with a beating heart |url=https://letterboxd.com/journal/heroic-bloodshed-john-woo-fantasia/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=[[Letterboxd]] |language=en}}</ref>

* The violent action in Woo's films has been referred to as a choreographed dance or musical;<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Weinraub1997">{{Cite news |last=Weinraub |first=Bernard |author-link=Bernard Weinraub |date=1997-06-30 |title=A Specialist In Esthetics Of Offbeat Violence |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/30/movies/a-specialist-in-esthetics-of-offbeat-violence.html |access-date=2023-12-18 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="PhillipineDailyInquirer_Cruz2015">{{Cite news |last=Cruz |first=Marinel R. |date=2015-11-27 |title=John Woo: Action scenes much like jazz dancing |url=https://entertainment.inquirer.net/184239/john-woo-action-scenes-much-like-jazz-dancing |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |language=en}}</ref>{{sfn|Howell|2015|p=158|loc=John Travolta, A Song and Dance Man in Action}} Woo says he pays attention to the rhythm of the gunfire, and often listens to music when choreographing and editing action scenes<ref name="TheRinger_Surrey2023" /><ref name="SCMP_Havis2022_JohnWooInterview" />{{sfn|Tirard|2002|p=149–150}}

* "When I shoot action sequences I think of great dancers, [[Gene Kelly]], [[Fred Astaire|Astaire]] [...] In action I feel like I'm creating a ballet, a dance. That's what I like. Even though there's violence, it's a dance. I make it a dance."<ref name="TheNewYorkTimes_Weinraub1996" />

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* Woo uses birds and doves to symbolize purity and innocence; he uses them to represent the presence of spiritual things<ref name="TheMorningCall_1993" /><ref name="TheHarvardCrimson_Aboud1993" />

* Woo's unrestrained, melodramatic filmmaking style was uncommon in Hong Kong at the time{{sfn|Bordwell|2000|p=99|loc=Enough to Make Strong Men Weep: John Woo}}

* In his book on Woo, author Kenneth E. Hall highlights the director's usage of music as a key component of his neoromantic style{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=158-159|p=|loc=Music in the Films}}

** Hall likens the close relationship between the music and story of ''The Killer'' to the [[program music]] of [[Romantic music|Romantic composers]] like [[Hector Berlioz]] and [[Richard Wagner]].

=== Method ===

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* Woo spends time with his actors, learning about their lives in order to accentuate their positive qualities on film{{sfn|Tirard|2002|p=149}}

* Woo states that he loves his actors, and that he believes that it is his duty as the director to find their best qualities and bring them out on film{{sfn|Thompson|2005|p=145}}

* Woo places a lot of trust in his actors, many times allowing them plenty of freedom to interpret their roles{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=130–131}}

* Likewise, he thinks of his crew as his family, so he tries to bond with them over dinner<ref name="SCMP_2003" />

* Since Woo has a love of cooking, he tries to treat the cast and crew to a meal cooked by him at least once{{sfn|Heard|2000|loc=Appendix: Chow Yun-fat|pp=|p=217}}

=== Themes ===

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* Woo also has a fondness for [[French New Wave]] films, as well as Italian and Japanese cinema<ref name="HKCinemagic_Podvin2007" />

* Woo watches a lot of cinema, learning from other filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Sam Peckinpah<ref name="BoxofficePro_EnciniasWoo2023">{{Cite magazine |last=Encinias |first=Joshua |last2=Woo |first2=John |author-link2=John Woo |date=2023-12-20 |title=John Woo: Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker |url=https://www.moviemaker.com/john-woo-things-ive-learned-as-a-moviemaker/ |access-date=2024-08-09 |magazine=[[Boxoffice Pro]]}}</ref>

* Hollywood

** Martin Scorsese

*** Woo is a fan of [[Martin Scorsese]], having dedicated [[The Criterion Collection]]'s release of ''The Killer'' to him{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=28|loc=Influences, Parallels, Inspirations}}

*** Kenneth E. Hall notes the similarities between the two filmmakers

**** The pair likes working with Christian themes, and share themes of loyalty and honesty{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=28|loc=Influences, Parallels, Inspirations}}

**** Both Woo and Scorsese like to use dollies for camera movement over using static shots{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=|p=28|loc=Influences, Parallels, Inspirations}}

** Francis Ford Coppola

*** Woo partially assimilated some aspects of ''[[The Godfather (film series)|The Godfather]]'' series into his own films{{sfn|Hall|2012|pp=32–33|p=|loc=Influences, Parallels, Inspirations}}

** Musicals (Bob Fosse, etc.)

*** Woo loved musicals and dancing as a child<ref name="ChicagoTribune_2000">{{Cite news |date=2000-05-31 |title=Lights, Camera, But Mostly Action |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/05/31/lights-camera-but-mostly-action/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>

=== Frequent collaborators ===

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== Recognition ==

* In a ~~2002article~~2002 article for ''[[The New York Times]]'', film critic [[Dave Kehr]] called him "arguably the most influential director making movies today."<ref name="NYT_Kehr2002" />

* Woo is credited with popularizing the [[Violence in art|aestheticisation of violence]] in film<ref name="TheTelegraph_Larman2023" />

* So many directors have copied or been inspired by Woo's stylistic flourishes, such as the use of slow-motion, [[Dual wield|dual wielding]] firearms, and the [[Mexican standoff]], that these elements have become part of the cinematic vocabulary of action cinema<ref name="Variety_Garcia2002" />{{sfn|Park|2010|p=133|loc=Martial Arts as Oriental Style}}<ref name="NYT_Yu2023" />

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** [[Robert Rodriguez]] (in general)<ref name="LosAngelesTimes_Hernandez2021">{{Cite news |last=Hernandez |first=Daniel |date=2021-08-12 |title=Robert Rodriguez on his new HBO Max deal and maverick career: 'Just jack the system' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-08-12/robert-rodriguez-hbo-deal-interview-latinos-in-hollywood |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

*** Rodriguez: "I remember when I was in college, I saw a bunch of John Woo movies that were really big, and you’d walk out of that movie theater wanting to be Chinese. You wanted to be Chow Yun-fat [...] It was because of how he was portrayed as a hero. I thought, 'I want to do that with Hispanics. I want to do that with Mexicans.'"

* Woo's successes in the United States helped pave the way for other Hong Kong filmmakers to take their chances with working in Hollywood{{sfn|Heard|2000|loc=Influences|pp=199–200|p=}}

* Music

** [[RZA]] sampled dialogue from ''The Killer'' on [[Raekwon]]'s album [[Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...|''Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...'']] (1995)<ref name="XXL_Arnold_etal_2005">{{Cite magazine |last=Arnold |first=Paul W. |last2=Cantor |first2=Paul |last3=Caramanica |first3=Jon |last4=Duncan |first4=Andrea |last5=Kondo |first5=Toshitaka |last6=Mao |first6=Chairman |last7=Matthews |first7=Adam |last8=Satten |first8=Vanessa |display-authors=1 |date=May 2005 |title=The Making of Raekwon's 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…' |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/making-raekwon-only-built-4-cuban-linx/ |website=[[XXL (magazine)|XXL]] |language=en |access-date=2023-12-18}}</ref><ref name="LosAngelesTimes_Lee2010">{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Chris |date=2010-01-03 |title=RZA's new rap: filmmaker |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jan-03-la-ca-rza3-2010jan03-story.html |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref>