A Better Tomorrow Trilogy 4K UHD from Shout! Studios This November
Shout! Studios is bringing John Woo and Tsui Hark’s influential A Better Tomorrow Trilogy to 4K UHD this November. The release features new 4K restorations, Dolby Vision HDR, and seven discs of films and bonus material. Collectors can also look forward to Hard Boiled arriving from Shout! in November, making it a major month for Hong Kong action on 4K UHD.
The impact of A Better Tomorrow
The A Better Tomorrow Trilogy is recognized as a landmark in Hong Kong action cinema and one of the earliest examples of the heroic bloodshed genre. Director John Woo, working with producer Tsui Hark, introduced stylistic elements such as slow motion and stylized gunplay that influenced later action films. The trilogy also helped make Chow Yun-fat an international star, with his character Mark Gor becoming one of his most recognizable roles. Its style and themes carried over into Hollywood action films throughout the 1990s.
A Better Tomorrow (1986)
The first film follows a Triad member who tries to reform while his relationship with his policeman brother becomes strained by his criminal past. The cast includes Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, and Chow Yun-fat in one of his most famous performances.
- Video and audio: New 4K scan from the original camera negative, presented in Dolby Vision HDR (HDR10 compatible). Cantonese and English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono tracks.
- Runtime: 95 minutes. Aspect ratio 1.85:1.
- Bonus features:
- Commentary by Hong Kong film critic James Mudge
- Better Than the Best – interview with director John Woo
- Between Friends – interview with producer Terence Chang
- When Tomorrow Comes – interview with screenwriter Chan Hing-ka
- Thoughts on the Future – interview with filmmaker Gordon Chan
- Better and Bombastic – interview with filmmaker Gareth Evans
- Trailers and image gallery
A Better Tomorrow II (1987)
The sequel reunites Woo with Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, and Chow Yun-fat, who plays the twin brother of his character from the original film. The story expands from Hong Kong to New York City in a continuation of the themes of loyalty and betrayal.
- Video and audio: New 4K scan from the original negative, Dolby Vision HDR. Cantonese and English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono.
- Runtime: 105 minutes. Aspect ratio 1.85:1.
- Bonus features:
- Commentary by James Mudge
- A Tumultuous Tomorrow – interview with John Woo
- Better Than Ever – interview with historian Frank Djeng
- Trailers and image gallery
A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon (1989)
Tsui Hark directed the third installment, which serves as a prequel. Chow Yun-fat’s character Mark is shown during the Vietnam War, with Tony Leung and Anita Mui joining the cast.
- Video and audio: New 4K scan from the original negative, Dolby Vision HDR. Cantonese and English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono.
- Runtime: 119 minutes. Aspect ratio 1.85:1.
- Bonus features:
- Commentary by critic and author David West
- Third Time Lucky – interview with writers Yiu-Ming Leung and Foo Ho Tai
- All Our Tomorrows – interview with academic Gilbert Po
- Nam Flashbacks – interview with Vietnam War researcher Dr. Aurélie Basha i Novosejt
- Trailer and image gallery
Technical specifications
- UHD discs feature Dolby Vision HDR across all three films.
- Newly translated optional English subtitles.
- Cantonese and English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono for all films.
- Region A coding.
- Total runtime: 5 hours 32 minutes.
Bonus disc content
The set includes a seventh disc with alternate cuts and archival material:
- A Better Tomorrow II long-lost workprint, featuring over 30 minutes of previously unseen footage (Cantonese mono).
- A Better Tomorrow III Taiwanese cut (Mandarin mono).
Release date and packaging
The trilogy is part of the Hong Kong Cinema Classics line, numbered spines 19 through 21. Shout! Studios packages the release as a seven-disc set with three UHDs, three Blu-rays, and one bonus disc. The A Better Tomorrow Trilogy 4K UHD set will be released Nov. 18, 2025.
Final thoughts
This new edition of the A Better Tomorrow Trilogy collects three of the most influential Hong Kong action films with newly restored 4K presentations, Dolby Vision HDR, and a full lineup of interviews, commentaries, and archival materials. It provides a comprehensive release for fans and collectors when it arrives Nov. 18, 2025.
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