Legendary film and TV director-producer Richard Donner has sadly passed away at the age of 91. Several outlets have now confirmed the news, though no cause of death has been revealed.
Born Richard Donald Schwartzberg in 1930, Donner began his career as an actor before moving on to television directing, working on shows such as Wanted: Dead or Alive, The Twilight Zone, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and The Fugitive. After some lower budget features, Donner got his big break with 1976’s The Omen, before going on to helm Superman: The Movie in 1978.
The filmmaker also worked on Superman II before leaving the project after a litigious dispute with producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind. Richard Lester replaced him, but much of Donner's footage remained in the film, and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut was released on DVD in 2006.
Other notable Donner features include Ladyhawke, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon, Scrooged and his last film, 16 Blocks.
He is survived by his wife and producing partner Lauren Schuler Donner. All our thoughts go out to Donner's friends and family during this sad time.
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.