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Tom Tykwer

Tom Tykwer

Director, composer, writer and producer, also actor · Born May 23, 1965 (61) · Wuppertal, Germany

Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 5 other major award bodies

Tom Tykwer (German: [ˈtɪkvɐ]; born 23 May 1965) is a German film director, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing Run Lola Run (1998), Heaven (2002), Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), and The International (2009).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 23, 1965 (61)
From
Wuppertal, Germany
Works as
Director, composer, writer and producer, also actor
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 41 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

What are Tom Tykwer's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
19%
Self
19%
Morality
15%
Survival
15%
Ideas
13%
Society
10%
Power
9%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 10 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 5

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 3 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 6

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Melancholic
13
Contemplative
6
Hopeful
7
Romantic
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Thought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous8
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Tom Tykwer's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tom Tykwer's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

41 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 25 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Producer

  • Kochschule Schwarz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Producer

  • The Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Director · Composer · Producer · Screenplay

  • Looop Lapeta(2022)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Matrix Resurrections(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Lusala (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Executive Producer

  • Supa Modo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Producer

  • Babylon Berlin(2017)

    Show 40 episodes · Director · Composer · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • A Hologram for the King(2016)

    Director · Composer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Sense8(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Veve(2014)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Something Necessary(2013)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Cloud Atlas(2012)

    Director · Composer · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Rosakinder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · as Self

  • Nairobi Half Life(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • 3(2010)

    Director · Composer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Soul Boy(2010)

    Producer · Supervising Technical Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • On the Other Side of the Screen: 100 Years of Moviemento Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Inglourious Basterds(2009)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation(2009)

    Director · Composer · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The International(2009)

    Director · Composer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Man in Things (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • The Heart Is a Dark Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Producer

  • A Friend of Mine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Producer

  • Perfume: The Story of a Murderer(2006)

    Director · Composer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Paris, Je T'aime(2006)

    Director · Composer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Cinema 16: European Short Films (European Edition) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Downfall(2004)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Soundless(2004)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • True (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Composer · Screenplay

  • Heaven(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Princess and the Warrior(2000)

    Director · Composer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Gigantic(1999)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Run Lola Run(1998)

    Director · Composer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Winter Sleepers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Composer · Screenplay

  • Life Is All You Get(1997)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Deadly Maria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · Composer · Producer · Screenplay

  • Epilog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director · Composer · Writer

  • Because (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director · Composer · Writer

  • Zyklopen-Uschi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Assistant Camera

Career shape

A full career of 39 titles, 37 of them dated from 1984 to 2025.

Biggest box office

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

$157M worldwide

Highest rated

Run Lola Run (1998)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Cloud Atlas (2012)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 39: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting22 of 39: 7 only directing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score83rdWriting16 of 39: 2 only writing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score86thProducing14 of 39: 9 only producing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thMusic16 of 39: 1 only music, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score85thOther crew5 of 39: 3 only other crew, 2 with another role

39 titles, 16 with more than one role — directing and music overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s7 · crew2000s15 · 1 acting · 14 crew2010s11 · crew2020s3 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

2 major awards from 12 major nominations, 1998–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • Berlinale award, nominated · Best Feature Film
  2. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
  3. 2013
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
  4. 2010
    • Venice award, nominated ×2
  5. 2006
    • Cannes award, nominated
  6. 2004
    • Berlinale award, nominated · Best Short Film
  7. 2002
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  8. 2000
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film not in the English Language
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Foreign Film
Show 2 earlier years
  1. 1999
    • Sundance award, won · World Cinema
  2. 1998
    • Venice award, nominated

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Tom Tykwer's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 22; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 24 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · writer

Looop Lapeta (2022)

91st percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer, producer, composer

Babylon Berlin (2017)

Midcredits 96th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 73/100 and the pacing 49/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Tom Tykwer's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles29–82 · median 72 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles19–74 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles29–66 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles26–40 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles22–69 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Tom Tykwer work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tom Tykwer's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Frank Griebe shares the most, 9.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles