On January 27, 2026, Shout Factory will release the 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray for Once a Thief, a 1991 actioner from acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo (The Killer, Hard Boiled).
The film stars Chow Yun-Fat (Prisoner on Fire), Leslie Cheung (Double Tap), Cherie Chung (Walk on Fire), Paul Chu Kong (The Big Heat) and Kenneth Tsang (To Be Number One).
Once a Thief is the story of three best friends, a group of high end art thieves, who come into trouble when a love-triangle forms between them.
Features:
- 4K Scan from the Original Camera Negative Presented in Dolby Vision
- Optional English Subtitles Newly Translated for this Release
- Audio Commentary with James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic at easternKicks
- Handling a Heist: Interview with Director John Woo
- Thoughts About Thievery: Interview with Screenwriter Clifton Ko
- Stealing Some Shots: Interview with Cinematographer Poon Hang-Sang
- Interview with Producer Terence Chang
- Interview with Editor David Wu
- TBC Interview with One of Leslie Cheung’s Producers
- Hong Kong Confidential: Inside Once A Thief with Author Grady Hendrix
- Once a Star, Always an Icon: Film Critic Frank Djeng on Actor Leslie Cheung
- Archival Interview with Actor Kenneth Tsang
- Theatrical Trailer
Watch the film’s classic Trailer:
Recently seen again.
It is a medocre poorly produced movie.
And I love John Woo.
OR…..
Its a charming Chinese New Year comedy crowd pleaser which although rough around the edges, has 3 actors at the peak of their power with megawatt star power goofing around with lots of chemistry to spare. It was also necessary for John Woo to have a hit to repay the “investors” who sank money into his previous movie, since Bullet in the head was a box office bomb.
It’s great that Woo’s HK works are getting this treatment by Shout. I can’t wait to check
out the special features on these discs. It would be great if newcomers to this genre get to see the difference between serious Woo and light hearted Woo.
This is one I really gotta check out again. I remember not caring for it when I initially saw it (it was hard to transition to the more light-hearted Woo after The Killer, Hard Boiled, ABT, etc).
Watching the interviews for Hard Boiled, all the filmmakers are very careful when talking about the themes of the movie. A transition period, an uncertan future, a crisis of identity…are we Chinese or not Chinese and what flavor of Chinese. I’m guessing some of them still live in HK and don’t want to fall foul of the National security Law. Whereas they interviewed a film scholar from University of Leicester and she doesn’t seem to talk with the same amount of self-censoring.
Ok this has nothing to do with Once A Thief but yeah its great Shout has the resources and access to interivew the original filmmakers. Gave me late 90s-mid 00s Hong Kong Legends vibes.
And yes the 4K disc does look better than the version on itunes….but only if you do a side by side.
Free clip. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUBsMf6D2Nt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==