Werner Herzog
Biography
Werner Herzog is a German filmmaker, documentarian, actor, author, and opera director. Born in Munich in 1942, he started making films as a teenager, beginning Herakles in 1961. He became a leading figure of New German Cinema. His collaboration with Klaus Kinski produced Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre and Woyzeck (both 1979), Fitzcarraldo (1982), and Cobra Verde (1987), which he later chronicled in My Best Fiend (1999). Other films include The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, plus documentaries such as Lessons of Darkness (1992), Grizzly Man (2005), Into the Abyss (2011), Encounters at the End of the World (2007), and Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010). He won a Silver Bear, a Cannes directing award for Fitzcarraldo, and a Venice Golden Lion for lifetime achievement, and Encounters at the End of the World earned him an Academy Award nomination. He has also directed operas and acted in Jack Reacher and Penguins of Madagascar.
84years old
Turns 85 on September 5in 323 days
- Born Munich
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Werner Herzog Stipetić (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 40
- Career span
- 46 years1980 to 2026
Genres
- Documentary68%, 27 films
- Drama18%, 7 films
- Biography15%, 6 films
- Comedy15%, 6 films
- Adventure13%, 5 films
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Early training
Herzog knew he would become a filmmaker and picked up the basics from an encyclopedia's few pages, which gave him what he needed to get started. He also took a 35 mm camera from the Munich Film School.
A first
Herzog entered the Venice Film Festival's competition in 2009 with two films, making him the only filmmaker in recent history to do so. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans was in the official competition, while My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? came in as a surprise film.
Werner Herzog movies on Netflix
Ghost Elephantsas Self - Narrator (voice)
Orion and the Darkas Narrator (voice)
The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafftas Narrator (voice)
Werner We Love Youas Himself
Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worldsas Self - Narrator
Meeting Gorbachevas Himself
Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwinas Self - Interviewer and Narrator (voice)
Ballad of a Righteous Merchantas Himself
Manaslu: Mountain of Soulsas Himself
Into the Infernoas Himself
Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected Worldas Self - Interviewer and Narrator
Salt and Fireas Man with One Story
Freaks of Natureas Perfect Being (voice)
Alfonso Sansone: Producer by Chanceas Himself
Atari: Game Overas Self (archival)
Life Itselfas Himself
Penguins of Madagascaras Documentary Filmmaker (voice)
The Unbelieversas Himself
Jack Reacheras The Zec
I, I, I José Lewgoyas Himself
Into the Abyssas Narrator (voice)
Cave of Forgotten Dreamsas Himself
Capturing Realityas Himself
Encounters at the End of the Worldas Narrator
Mister Lonelyas Father Umbrillo
The Grandas The German
Grizzly Manas Himself / Narrator / Interviewer (voice)
The White Diamondas Himself / narrator
Wheel of Timeas Himself
Julien Donkey-Boyas Father
My Best Fiendas Self - Narrator
What Dreams May Comeas Face
Little Dieter Needs to Flyas Narrator (voice)
Lessons of Darknessas Narrator (voice)
Scream of Stoneas TV-Regisseur
Es ist nicht leicht ein Gott zu seinas Mita / Richard
Tokyo-Gaas Himself
The Dark Glow of the Mountainas Himself (voice)
Burden of Dreamsas Self - Filmmaker
Werner Herzog Eats His Shoeas Himself
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Grizzly Man2005 Biography, Documentaryas Himself / Narrator / Interviewervoice
IMDb rating 7.768K votes
- Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World2016as Self - Interviewer and Narrator
IMDb rating 7.014K votes
Most often with
Harmony Korine directed two of these films, Zak Penn two and Les Blank two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.










Films together
Errol Morris3 films together, 1980 to 2014
Errol Morris's page Life Itself2014IMDb rating 7.8Herzog as HimselfMorris as Himself
Capturing Reality2008IMDb rating 6.8Herzog as HimselfMorris as Himself
Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe1980IMDb rating 7.2Herzog as HimselfMorris as Himself
Lawrence Krauss3 films together, 2013 to 2016
Lawrence Krauss's page Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World2016IMDb rating 7.0Herzog as Self - Interviewer and NarratorKrauss as Self - Cosmologist, Arizona State University
Salt and Fire2016IMDb rating 4.2Herzog as Man with One StoryKrauss as Aristidis / Krauss
The Unbelievers2013IMDb rating 6.9Herzog as HimselfKrauss as Himself
Clive Oppenheimer3 films together, 2007 to 2020
Clive Oppenheimer's page Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds2020IMDb rating 6.9Herzog as Self - NarratorOppenheimer as Self - Interviewer
Into the Inferno2016IMDb rating 7.2Herzog as HimselfOppenheimer as Self - Volcanologist
Encounters at the End of the World2007IMDb rating 7.7Herzog as NarratorOppenheimer as Self - Volcanologist
Brad Dourif2 films together, 1991 to 2018
Brad Dourif's page Ballad of a Righteous Merchant2018IMDb rating 6.0Herzog as HimselfDourif as Himself
Scream of Stone1991IMDb rating 6.2Herzog as TV-RegisseurDourif as Fingerless
Michael Shannon2 films together, 2016 to 2018
Michael Shannon's page Ballad of a Righteous Merchant2018IMDb rating 6.0Herzog as HimselfShannon as Himself
Salt and Fire2016IMDb rating 4.2Herzog as Man with One StoryShannon as Matt Riley
Jason Robards2 films together, 1982 to 1999
Jason Robards's page My Best Fiend1999IMDb rating 7.8Herzog as Self - NarratorRobards as Fitzcarraldo
Burden of Dreams1982IMDb rating 7.9Herzog as Self - FilmmakerRobards as Fitzcarraldo
Harmony KorineDirector, 2 films, 1999 to 2007
All films by Harmony Korine Mister Lonely2007IMDb rating 6.4Herzog as Father Umbrillo
Julien Donkey-Boy1999IMDb rating 6.7Herzog as Father
Zak PennDirector, 2 films, 2007 to 2014
All films by Zak Penn Atari: Game Over2014IMDb rating 6.7Herzog as Self (archival)
The Grand2007IMDb rating 5.9Herzog as The German
Les BlankDirector, 2 films, 1980 to 1982
All films by Les Blank Burden of Dreams1982IMDb rating 7.9Herzog as Self - Filmmaker
Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe1980IMDb rating 7.2Herzog as Himself
Also two films together12 more actors
- Chloë SevignyBallad of a Righteous Merchant (2018) and Julien Donkey-Boy (1999)
- Martin ScorseseAlfonso Sansone: Producer by Chance (2014) and Life Itself (2014)
- Klaus KinskiMy Best Fiend (1999) and Burden of Dreams (1982)
- Claudia CardinaleMy Best Fiend (1999) and Burden of Dreams (1982)
- Mick JaggerMy Best Fiend (1999) and Burden of Dreams (1982)
- José LewgoyI, I, I José Lewgoy (2011) and Burden of Dreams (1982)
- Reinhold MessnerManaslu: Mountain of Souls (2018) and The Dark Glow of the Mountain (1984)
- Stefan GlowaczNomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin (2019) and Scream of Stone (1991)
- Paul HittscherMy Best Fiend (1999) and Burden of Dreams (1982)
- Tom LuddyMy Best Fiend (1999) and Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980)
- Hans KammerlanderManaslu: Mountain of Souls (2018) and The Dark Glow of the Mountain (1984)
- Walter SaxerMy Best Fiend (1999) and Burden of Dreams (1982)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Werner Herzog's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$675 million
11 of the 40 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 40 films: 11 worldwide figure; 5 us gross only; 8 never in cinemas; 1 streaming, short cinema run; 15 figure not found.
- 11Worldwide figure
- 5US gross only
- 8Never in cinemas
- 1Streaming, short cinema run
- 15Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$374M55.3% of the total
- 2$218M32.3% of the total
- 3$71M10.6% of the total
- 4$6.5M1.0% of the total
- 5$4.1M0.6% of the total
- 6$408K0.1% of the total
- 7$394K0.1% of the total
- 8$156K0.0% of the total
Awards
Seven awards and honors from 1979 to 2025, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | |||
| 2025 | Golden Lion | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2019 | European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | |
| 2012 | Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany | Won | |
| 2005 | Alfred P. Sloan Prize | Grizzly Man | Won |
| 2000 | Bayerischer Poetentaler | Won | |
| 1979 | Rauriser Literaturpreis | Won | |
| Directors Guild of America Award | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.












