The Experiment
“You are invited to participate”
20 volunteers agree to take part in a seemingly well-paid experiment advertised by the university. It is supposed to be about aggressive behavior in an artificial prison situation. A journalist senses a story behind the ad and smuggles himself in among the test subjects. They are randomly divided into prisoners and guards. What seems like a game at the beginning soon turns into bloody seriousness.
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Cast
31 people
Moritz Bleibtreu
Tarek Fahd, Prisoner Nr. 77
Known for
Run Lola Run
World War Z
Christian Berkel
Robert Steinhoff, Prisoner Nr. 38
Known for
Hijack
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Justus von Dohnányi
Berus
Known for
Dear Child
Downfall
Maren Eggert
Dora
Known for
I'm Your Man
Scene of the Crime
Edgar Selge
Professor Dr. Klaus Thon
Known for
Wetlands
Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of Blue Owls
Andrea Sawatzki
Dr. Jutta Grimm
Known for
Borgia
Ants in the Pants
Oliver Stokowski
Günther Schütte, Prisoner Nr. 82
Known for
The Book Thief
Vienna Blood
Wotan Wilke Möhring
Joe Maier, Prisoner Nr. 69
Known for
Perfume
Who Am I
Nicki von Tempelhoff
Kamps
Known for
Barbarians
Timo Dierkes
Eckert
Known for
Transporter 3
Windstorm 4
Antoine Monot Jr.
Bosch
Known for
Who Am I
Gigantic
Lars Gärtner
Renzel
Known for
Stromberg
Oliver Hirschbiegel Director · Don Bohlinger Writer Christoph Darnstädt Writer
Worldwide gross $14M · United States release March 8, 2001 · Produced in Germany
Box office
Worldwide gross
$13,782,896
Production
Fanes Film
Production
Typhoon Film
Production
Senator Film
Production
Seven Pictures
Production
Senator Film Produktion
Production
Typhoon
Production
Germany
Produced in
Black Box
Working title
Languages
Original title
Das Experiment
Original language
German
Spoken on screen
German
Release dates
Germany · March 7, 2001
Premiere · Berlin
Germany · March 8, 2001
Theatrical
United States · March 8, 2001
Theatrical
Belgium
November 7, 2001 · Theatrical
Czechia
April 3, 2003 · Theatrical
June 16, 2010 · TV
France
September 28, 2026 · Digital · Arte.tv
September 28, 2026 · TV · Arte
Germany
October 18, 2001 · Physical · VHS & DVD
January 17, 2002 · Physical · DVD (Re-Issue)
October 30, 2003 · TV · ProSieben
September 22, 2006 · Physical · TV Movie DVD
October 4, 2007 · Physical · DVD (Steelbook)
August 7, 2009 · Physical · Blu-ray
September 28, 2026 · Digital · Arte.tv
September 28, 2026 · TV · Arte
Hungary
October 10, 2002 · Theatrical
Italy
August 23, 2002 · Theatrical
Netherlands
June 6, 2002 · Theatrical
May 11, 2005 · TV · RTL 5
July 23, 2009 · Physical · DVD
Norway
October 19, 2001 · Theatrical
Switzerland
May 17, 2001 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
March 22, 2002 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.