It’s sadly been confirmed that William Friedkin, the director of the iconic 1973 horror movie The Exorcist, has died at age 87. He is said to have passed away in his house in Los Angeles, California.
As shared via Deadline, “his death was confirmed by Chapman University dean Stephen Galloway, a friend of Friedkin’s wife, producer and ex-studio chief Sherry Lansing.” Friedkin’s career has been a monumental part of both film and television for decades.
He was not only involved with The Exorcist, which became one of the most successful horror films of all time, but his career included other such hits as The French Connection, which won five Academy Awards. He was also the director of Sorcerer, Cruising, and To Live and Die in L.A.. One of his more notable recent endeavors included the 2011 black comedy Killer Joe which starred Matthew McConaughey, Gina Gershon, and Thomas Haden Church.
His career kicked off in 1965 with an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour titled “Off Season.” And while his incredible film career followed in the years after, he did return to television’s horror anthology genre. In 1985 he directed an episode of The Twilight Zone titled “Nightcrawlers” and more notably an episode of Tales from the Crypt titled “On a Deadman’s Chest.”
Friedkin’s career also included a number of unrealized projects. One such project included a television series spin-off to his black comedy film Killer Joe and a variety of other film adaptations which included Walon Green’s Desperadoes, William Peter Blatty’s Legion, and Thomas Thompson’s Serpentine. So, like many filmmakers, he had quite the career with plenty of ups and downs. But he’ll always be remembered for the iconic stories he gave us.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we may have them. Friedkin was a major icon for film and his passing will definitely be felt. He is survived by his aforementioned wife, Sherry Lansing, and his two sons.