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Tom Tykwer

  • Writer
  • Composer
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Tom Tykwer
Interpol Agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) pool their resources in an attempt to break up an international arms dealing ring financed by a high-profile bank.
Play trailer1:36
The International (2009)
6 Videos
26 Photos
Director, writer, producer and composer Tom Tykwer was born in 1965 in Wuppertal, Germany. He showed an interest in film-making from childhood, making super 8 films from the age of 11. Among his first jobs was working at a local art-house cinema. Tykwer eventually relocated to Berlin, first working as a film projectionist and then becoming head of programming at the Moviemento Theater.

Tykwer's friend, the director Rosa von Praunheim, encouraged him to experiment with film-making and the result was the short Because (1990). Other short films followed, and in 1993 Tykwer made his first full length feature Deadly Maria (1993). Tykwer's international breakthrough came in 1998 with Run Lola Run (1998), which was a hit with both audiences and critics alike. The film garnered many awards and was the most successful German film of the year.

Subsequent projects include Heaven (2002), Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), The International (2009) and the ambitious epic Cloud Atlas (2012).
BornMay 23, 1965
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 23, 1965
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 39 wins & 62 nominations total

    Photos26

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    Known for

    Franka Potente in Run Lola Run (1998)
    Run Lola Run
    7.6
    • Writer
    • 1998
    Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Bae Doona, Jim Sturgess, and Ben Whishaw in Cloud Atlas (2012)
    Cloud Atlas
    7.4
    • Writer
    • 2012
    Babylon Berlin (2017)
    Babylon Berlin
    8.4
    TV Series
    • Writer
    Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
    Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
    7.5
    • Writer
    • 2006

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Writer



    • The Light (2025)
      The Light
      5.8
      • Writer
      • 2025
    • Babylon Berlin (2017)
      Babylon Berlin
      8.4
      TV Series
      • written by
      • screenplay
      • created by ...
      • 2017–2022
    • Tom Hanks in A Hologram for the King (2016)
      A Hologram for the King
      6.1
      • screenplay
      • 2016
    • Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Bae Doona, Jim Sturgess, and Ben Whishaw in Cloud Atlas (2012)
      Cloud Atlas
      7.4
      • written for the screen by
      • 2012
    • Sophie Rois, Sebastian Schipper, and Devid Striesow in 3 (2010)
      3
      6.7
      • screenplay
      • 2010
    • Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation (2009)
      Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation
      5.9
      • Writer (segment "Feierlich reist")
      • 2009
    • Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
      Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
      7.5
      • screenplay
      • 2006
    • Paris, Je T'aime (2006)
      Paris, Je T'aime
      7.2
      • Writer (segment "Faubourg Saint-Denis")
      • 2006
    • True (2004)
      True
      7.8
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2004
    • The Princess and the Warrior (2000)
      The Princess and the Warrior
      7.4
      • Writer
      • 2000
    • Franka Potente in Run Lola Run (1998)
      Run Lola Run
      7.6
      • screenplay
      • 1998
    • Winter Sleepers (1997)
      Winter Sleepers
      7.1
      • written by
      • 1997
    • Life is All You Get (1997)
      Life is All You Get
      7.2
      • written by
      • 1997
    • Deadly Maria (1993)
      Deadly Maria
      7.0
      • screenplay
      • story
      • 1993
    • Epilog (1992)
      Epilog
      6.5
      Short
      • Writer
      • 1992

    Composer



    • The Light (2025)
      The Light
      5.8
      • Composer
      • 2025
    • Babylon Berlin in Concert (2023)
      Babylon Berlin in Concert
      9.1
      TV Special
      • Composer
      • 2023
    • Babylon Berlin (2017)
      Babylon Berlin
      8.4
      TV Series
      • Composer
      • 2017–2022
    • Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Eréndira Ibarra, Jessica Henwick, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
      The Matrix Resurrections
      5.6
      • music by
      • 2021
    • Bae Doona, Max Riemelt, Brian J. Smith, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Tuppence Middleton, Tina Desai, Jamie Clayton, and Toby Onwumere in Sense8 (2015)
      Sense8
      8.2
      TV Series
      • music by
      • 2015–2018
    • Tom Hanks in A Hologram for the King (2016)
      A Hologram for the King
      6.1
      • Composer
      • 2016
    • Post-It (2013)
      Post-It
      Short
      • Composer
      • 2013
    • Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Bae Doona, Jim Sturgess, and Ben Whishaw in Cloud Atlas (2012)
      Cloud Atlas
      7.4
      • music by
      • 2012
    • Sophie Rois, Sebastian Schipper, and Devid Striesow in 3 (2010)
      3
      6.7
      • Composer
      • 2010
    • Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation (2009)
      Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation
      5.9
      • Composer (segment "Feierlich reist")
      • 2009
    • Clive Owen and Naomi Watts in The International (2009)
      The International
      6.5
      • Composer
      • 2009
    • Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
      Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
      7.5
      • Composer
      • 2006
    • Paris, Je T'aime (2006)
      Paris, Je T'aime
      7.2
      • Composer (segment "Faubourg Saint-Denis")
      • 2006
    • Ich Dich auch
      6.1
      • Composer
      • 2005
    • True (2004)
      True
      7.8
      Short
      • Composer
      • 2004

    Producer



    • I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming
      • producer
      • Production Unknown



    • Babylon Berlin (2017)
      Babylon Berlin
      8.4
      TV Series
      • executive producer (showrunner)
      • 2017–2022
    • Lusala (2019)
      Lusala
      6.8
      • executive producer
      • 2019
    • Supa Modo (2018)
      Supa Modo
      7.2
      • producer
      • 2018
    • Veve (2014)
      Veve
      6.1
      • producer
      • 2014
    • Something Necessary (2013)
      Something Necessary
      6.9
      • producer
      • 2013
    • Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Bae Doona, Jim Sturgess, and Ben Whishaw in Cloud Atlas (2012)
      Cloud Atlas
      7.4
      • produced by
      • 2012
    • Nairobi Half Life (2012)
      Nairobi Half Life
      7.3
      • producer
      • 2012
    • Endlich (2011)
      Endlich
      • producer
      • 2011
    • Soul Boy (2010)
      Soul Boy
      6.6
      • producer
      • 2010
    • Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation (2009)
      Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation
      5.9
      • producer
      • 2009
    • Nina Hoss in The Heart Is a Dark Forest (2007)
      The Heart Is a Dark Forest
      6.4
      • producer
      • 2007
    • A Friend of Mine (2006)
      A Friend of Mine
      6.8
      • producer
      • 2006
    • Ich Dich auch
      6.1
      • co-producer
      • 2005
    • Underexposure (2005)
      Underexposure
      6.6
      • co-producer
      • 2005
    • Soundless (2004)
      Soundless
      6.5
      • producer
      • 2004

    Production Department



    • Styx (2018)
      Styx
      6.5
      • production coordinator: for One Fine Day e.V.
      • 2018

    Videos6

    The International
    Clip 1:32
    The International
    The International
    Clip 1:18
    The International
    The International
    Clip 1:18
    The International
    The International
    Interview 46:12
    The International
    The International: Trailer #1
    Trailer 1:36
    The International: Trailer #1
    "A Multitude of Drops"
    Featurette 6:18
    "A Multitude of Drops"
    Directors' Commentary
    Featurette 2:24
    Directors' Commentary

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Alternative name
      • Tykwer
    • Height
      • 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
    • Born
      • May 23, 1965
      • Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
    • Children
        Kurt Tykwer
    • Parents
        Anton Tykwer
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Print Biography
      • 1 Interview
      • 2 Articles

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Translated the parts of Quentin Tarantino's screenplay for Inglourious Basterds (2009) that had to be in German language.
    • Quotes
      You can imagine how hugely debated Saving Private Ryan (1998) was in Germany, and I think the only reason people were able to get into it was because of Tom Hanks. In Europe, people have even forgotten that Forrest Gump (1994) was an American.
    • Trademarks
        Kinetic, fast-paced and flashy editing

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