Wolfgang Petersen, a German director best known for films such as “Air Force One,” “In the Line of Fire,” “The Perfect Storm,” and many others, died at the age of 81.
According to Deadline, the legendary filmmaker died last week at his Brentwood home in the arms of his wife Maria Antoinette. Pancreatic cancer was determined to be the cause of his death. (Source: Daily Mail UK)
The director’s career began in his native Germany, but he later achieved international acclaim after his 1981 film “Das Boot (The Boat)” was recognized by major award-giving bodies.
The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, two of which he won (adapted screenplay and directing). In addition to the Academy Awards, he was nominated for a DGA Award and a BAFTA.
He went on to become one of the most sought-after filmmakers of his generation, directing some of Hollywood’s biggest films.
His first Hollywood film was the fantasy adventure film “The NeverEnding Story,” which he directed and wrote.
The plot revolved around a real-life boy who discovered the magical kingdom of Fantasia in a bookstore.
Despite having a successful directing career for children’s films, it didn’t take long for him to produce adult-oriented films.
The next film to be released was “Enemy Mine.” The plot of the film revolved around an astronaut who landed on an alien planet by accident and encountered an extraterrestrial creature.
Despite Petersen’s hype, the full-length film failed to make a profit and received negative reviews. This prompted the director to take a six-year hiatus.
In 1991, he made a comeback with the thriller “Shattered,” starring actors such as Bob Hosking, Tom Berenger, and Greta Scacchi.
In 1993, Petersen’s first massive box office success was the Clint Eastwood-starring film “In the Line of Fire,” which is about the actor playing a Secret Service agent who is scarred because he did not prevent John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
The film grossed $177 million worldwide and received favorable reviews from critics.
Following that, he directed several more films, including “Outbreak,” “The Perfect Storm,” “Troy,” “Poseidon,” and others.
According to IMBd, his most recent credit was “Vier gegen die Bank,” which was released in 2016.
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