Richard Donner, director of beloved classic films such as Superman, The Goonies, and Lethal Weapon, has passed away. Donner had a long career as an executive producer with his wife Lauren Shuler Donner, but his last movie as a director came in 2006 with 16 Blocks. Many consider Richard Donner to be the father of the modern superhero film, with Superman inspiring current films such as Wonder Woman 1984.
Donner began as a bit part TV actor when Norma Rae director Martin Ritt convinced Donner to instead go into directing, Ritt hiring Donner as his assistant. From there, Donner directed commercials and TV episodes until he had a breakout with The Twilight Zone's "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet" starring William Shatner. Donner was able to go into film, starting with the 1961 Mary Tyler Moore film X-15. In 1976, Donner became a household name with the horror sensation The Omen, and finally a cinematic pioneer with 1978's Superman.
Richard Donner passed away on Monday at the age of 91, according to Deadline. The news was delivered by his wife and his business manager. Donner and Shuler Donner had together created The Donners' Company, which produced the Free Willy series and all of the Fox X-Men properties, and earned them stars together on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. No cause of death has been announced at this time.
Donner's legendary resume extended beyond his time in the director's chair, residing as the father of the superhero movie. Prior to Superman, Adam West's Batman had a feature film released based on the TV show, though it barely made back its budget. Superhero films had been seen as non-commercial and niche properties for comic book fans until Donner broke the mold with the Christopher Reeve film. Since then, superheroes have taken over television, theme parks, and have had a near cultural monopoly at the movies.
Richard Donner remained a presence in the superhero genre, recently celebrating the release of the Snyder cut as Donner had been fired partly through creating Superman II. Donner would later release Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, similar to what Zack Snyder got to do this year with Justice League. Donner disapproved of the "darkness" of modern superhero films, though he claimed to not fully know who Zack Snyder was within all of this debate. His biography, You're the Director... You Figure It Out: The Life and Films of Richard Donner by James Christie was released in 2010. Donner may have passed, but with the number of classics he directed, the filmmaker will never be forgotten.
Source: Deadline