The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 1987.[64] Der Himmel über Berlin subsequently opened in West Germany late in October 1987.[1] With Orion Classics as its U.S. distributor,[65] it opened in New York City as Wings of Desire on 29 April 1988 with a PG-13 rating.[66] Sander said that it had a release in Japan, and that while angels do not appear in Japanese mythology, Tokyo audiences would approach him after and share their impressions about the characters.[17]
After a videotape printing in Germany in 1988, Kinowelt released a DVD in Germany and Region 2 in 2005.[1] In 2009, The Criterion Collection released the film in Region 1 on DVD and Blu-ray.[67][68] It later screened at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2015, to mark Wenders' Honorary Golden Bear.[69]
The Wim Wenders Foundation produced a digital 4K restoration using the original black-and-white and colour film stock. This new version of the film premiered on 16 February 2018 during the 68th Berlin International Film Festival at Kino International, as part of the "Berlinale Classics" programme.[70][71]
