Director

Wolfgang Petersen: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films: 20
on screen: 1973–2021
box office: $1.75B
nominations: 3

Born: March 14, 1941
Birthplace: Emden, Germany
Citizenship: Germany, United States
Occupations: Film director, screenwriter, producer
Years active: 1953-2016
Spouses: Ursula Sieg, Maria Borgel-Petersen
Children: 1

Biggest hits

The Best Wolfgang Petersen Movies

The films of Wolfgang Petersen that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: Troy (2004) leads with $497M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.

Full ranking

Career at a glance

Wolfgang Petersen's Career in Numbers

Wolfgang Petersen's films in numbers — as a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Wolfgang Petersen works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Smog (1973) to Four Against the Bank (2016), and the 1970s were the busiest decade.

Wolfgang Petersen Movies by Decade

1970s 5
1980s 3
1990s 4
2000s 3
2010s 1

The 1970s were Wolfgang Petersen's busiest decade, with 5 films.

Wolfgang Petersen Movies by Genre

Action 7
Tv movie 3
Drama 2
Comedy 1
Mystery 1
Adventure 1
Thriller 1

Action is the genre Wolfgang Petersen has worked in most, with 7 films, ahead of tv movie (3).

Wolfgang Petersen Career Milestones

First film: Smog 1973
Biggest box office hit: Troy $497M worldwide
Newest film: Four Against the Bank 2016

20 credits

Wolfgang Petersen Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Wolfgang Petersen is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Movies Directed by Wolfgang Petersen

Wolfgang Petersen in Documentaries & Specials

3 nominations

Wolfgang Petersen: Awards & Nominations

3 nominations across 3 award bodies, from 1983 to 1983. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards

Oscars 1 nomination
BAFTA 1 nomination
DGA Awards 1 nomination

The 55th Academy Awards
- Wolfgang Petersen: Nominated Best Director Das Boot
36th British Academy Film Awards
- Wolfgang Petersen: Nominated Best Film Not in the English Language Das Boot
35th Directors Guild of America Awards
- Wolfgang Petersen: Nominated Outstanding Directing – Feature Film Das Boot

Biography

Who Is Wolfgang Petersen?

Wolfgang Petersen was born in Emden, Germany in 1941. Credited on films since 1973, as a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a renowned German filmmaker. During his active years, he made waves in the film industry with his numerous outstanding films. His most famous work was the World War II submarine warfare film Das Boot (1981), for which he was nominated for two prestigious Academy Awards. His portfolio also includes other well-known films like The NeverEnding Story (1984), Enemy Mine (1985), In the Line of Fire (1993), Outbreak (1995), Air Force One (1997), The Perfect Storm (2000), Troy (2004), and Poseidon (2006).

Born on 14 March 1941 in Emden, Petersen started his creative journey with an 8mm camera while still in school. His career spanned from directing plays at Hamburg's Ernst Deutsch Theater to producing TV series like the popular German Tatort. Petersen's first theatrical feature film was the psychological thriller One or the Other of Us, released in 1974. Following Das Boot, Petersen continued to make ground-breaking films, audaciously exploring genres from epic wars to suspense thrillers. His works continue to inspire enthusiasts in the film industry and audience worldwide. Petersen passed away from pancreatic cancer in August 2022, leaving a legacy as a great director and screenwriter.

Works with

Who Wolfgang Petersen Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Wolfgang Petersen shares the most films with. Jürgen Prochnow comes first, with 5 films together, followed by Otto Sander (3).

FAQ

Wolfgang Petersen: Questions & Answers

How many movies Wolfgang Petersen has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Wolfgang Petersen been in?

Wolfgang Petersen is credited on 20 films, from 1973 to 2021. All of them as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Wolfgang Petersen's highest-grossing movie?

Troy (2004) is Wolfgang Petersen's biggest box office hit, with $497M worldwide, ahead of The Perfect Storm (2000) ($329M). Across every film with box office figures, Wolfgang Petersen's movies have made $1.75B.

Wolfgang Petersen's biggest hits

Has Wolfgang Petersen won an Oscar?

Wolfgang Petersen has been nominated for an Oscar but has not won one yet. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Wolfgang Petersen has 0 wins from 3 nominations.

What is Wolfgang Petersen's newest movie?

The most recent film on Wolfgang Petersen's filmography is Das Boot Revisited: An Underwater Success Story (2021), in the role of Self - Das Boot Screenwriter and Director.

Who does Wolfgang Petersen work with most often?

Wolfgang Petersen shares the most films with Jürgen Prochnow (5 films), Otto Sander (3 films) and George Clooney (2 films).

The Best Wolfgang Petersen Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 20 directing credits.

See the ranking

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