Director of ‘The Exorcist,’ William Friedkin, passes away at the age of 87

Renowned filmmaker William Friedkin, known for bringing novelist William Peter Blatty’s horror novel “The Exorcist” to the big screen in 1973, has died at the age of 87. Stephen Galloway, Dean of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University and biographer of Friedkin’s producer wife, Sherry Lansing, confirmed his passing to ABC News, stating that Friedkin breathed his last in Los Angeles. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.

“Friedkin was an exceptional American original – his films from the 70s like ‘French Connection,’ ‘The Exorcist,’ and ‘Sorcerer’ remain timeless,” Galloway praised. “He possessed an incredibly unique mind, and right up to the end, his wit was as sharp as ever.”

Born in Chicago, Friedkin began his career in television and documentaries, with his first cinematic directorial credit being the 1967 musical “Good Times,” featuring Sonny and Cher. Just four years later, his adaptation of Robin Moore’s intense crime novel “The French Connection” captured four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Gene Hackman, who portrayed the tough New York City detective, Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, alongside Roy Scheider.

Friedkin’s subsequent project, 1973’s “The Exorcist,” received ten Academy Award nominations and stands as one of the highest-grossing films of all time when adjusted for inflation. This iconic film revitalized the horror genre and gave rise to five sequels, with the latest installment, “The Exorcist: Believer,” scheduled to premiere on October 13.

In 1977, Friedkin followed up with “Sorcerer,” also starring Roy Scheider. This high-concept crime thriller, centered around transporting unstable dynamite through the South American jungle, struggled at the box office initially but has gained recognition as an overlooked cinematic gem by some critics.

Although Friedkin’s box office triumphs waned in the 1980s, his 1985 work “To Live and Die in L.A.,” featuring William Peterson and Willem Dafoe, remains a classic in the crime genre. Friedkin collaborated with talents such as Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones in the 2000 military thriller “Rules of Engagement” and achieved critical acclaim with 2011’s “Killer Joe,” starring Matthew McConaughey.

Friedkin continued his directorial endeavors with his final film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” a remake of the 1954 war drama “The Caine Mutiny,” starring Kiefer Sutherland. The film was set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September.