The Wave
“Their teacher became their leader. His students became his soldiers.”
A school teacher discusses types of government with his class. His students find it too boring to repeatedly go over national socialism and believe that dictatorship cannot be established in modern Germany. He starts an experiment to show how easily the masses can become manipulated.
Where to watch The Wave in United States
Kanopy
Google Play Movies
YouTubeClick a service to open The Wave there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Wave streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Kanopy | Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| United Kingdom | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store |
| Canada | Tubi TV | Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video |
| Germany | Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, alleskino Amazon Channel | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store |
| France | Amazon Prime Video, Molotov TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, M6+ | Google Play Movies, Canal VOD, Orange VOD |
| Spain | Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels, Rakuten TV | Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV |
About The Wave
The Wave is a 2008 German-language drama and thriller film directed by Dennis Gansel. The cast is led by Jürgen Vogel, Frederick Lau, Max Riemelt. It has a runtime of 1h 47m. Viewers rate it 7.5/10 across 3600 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Kanopy.
The Wave was produced by Rat Pack Filmproduktion, B.A. Produktion, and Constantin Film and made in Germany. It was released on March 13, 2008, and carries a 15 certification. Made on a budget of about $8 million, it went on to gross $32 million worldwide.
- Director
- Dennis Gansel
- Writers
- Peter Thorwarth, Dennis Gansel
- Release date
- March 13, 2008
- Original language
- German
- Age rating
- 15
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Germany
- Budget
- $8 million
- Box office
- $32 million
- Production
- Rat Pack Filmproduktion, B.A. Produktion, Constantin Film
The Wave cast & crew
The Wave was directed by Dennis Gansel and written by Peter Thorwarth and Dennis Gansel.
The cast features Jürgen Vogel as Rainer Wenger, Frederick Lau as Tim, Max Riemelt as Marco, Jennifer Ulrich as Karo, Christiane Paul as Anke Wenger, and Elyas M'Barek as Sinan.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Heiko Maile, cinematography is by Torsten Breuer, and it was produced by Christian Becker and Nina Maag.
Is The Wave worth watching?
The Wave holds an audience score of 7.5/10 from 3,626 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 1h 47m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama and thriller, The Wave is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Wave
In United States, you can stream The Wave on Kanopy, or rent and buy it on Google Play Movies and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The Wave
Jürgen Vogel
Rainer Wenger
Frederick Lau
Tim
Max Riemelt
Marco
Jennifer Ulrich
Karo
Christiane Paul
Anke Wenger
Elyas M'Barek
Sinan
Cristina do Rego
Lisa
Jacob Matschenz
Dennis
Maximilian Vollmar
Bomber
Tim Oliver Schultz
Jens
Amelie Kiefer
Mona
Max Mauff
Kevin
The Wave — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Wave in United States?
The Wave is streaming on Kanopy in United States.
▸Is The Wave on Kanopy?
Yes — The Wave is currently available on Kanopy in United States.
▸What language is The Wave in?
The Wave is originally in German. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Wave?
The Wave runs 1 hours 47 minutes (107 minutes).
▸What is The Wave rated?
The Wave is rated 15. It holds a 7.5/10 audience score from 3,626 ratings.
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