Director Wolfgang Petersen has passed away.
Petersen is best known for helming the German submarine classic “Das Boot”, as well as numerous Hollywood hits throughout the ’80s, ’90s and ’00s. He was 81.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Petersen died on Friday at his home in Brentwood, Cal.
Born in Germany, Petersen began his career in the ’60s, helming a number of projects in his home country, before gaining international attention for 1981’s “Das Boot”.
Set on a German U-boat during the Second World War, the epic production made millions at the box office worldwide, and earned six Oscar nominations, including nods for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Petersen himself.
Petersen’s next film, the German-produced, English-language fantasy film “The NeverEnding Story” became a family classic.
His first American film was 1985’s sci-fi action movie “Enemy Mine”, starring Dennis Quaid, and was followed up with the Tom Berenger thriller “Shattered”.
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Peterson had his first big Hollywood hit with the 1993 Clint Eastwood political thriller “In the Line of Fire”.
Following that was a string of blockbuster successes, including 1995’s “Outbreak”, 1997’s “Air Force One”, and 2000’s “The Perfect Storm”.
In 2004 he directed the historical epic “Troy”, and then the disaster movie remake “Poseidon”.
Petersen’s final film saw him return to Germany to helm the 2016 crime comedy “Four Against the Bank”.
He is survived by his wife Maria, his son Daniel, daughter-in-law Berit, and grandchildren Maja and Julien.
