Wolfgang Petersen, the famous filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter, died on August 12, at the age of 81, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was well-known for his films such as Poseidon, Outbreak, and Air Force One. His spokesperson broke the news, and further details regarding his funeral will be released shortly.
What was the cause of death for Wolfgang Petersen?
Wolfgang Petersen died of pancreatic cancer while his wife, Maria Borgel Petersen, was there. It has been verified that Petersen died at home rather than in a hospital. However, no information is known on how long Petersen had the ailment. It is unclear if he had any other health concerns in the past.
Wolfgan Petersen’s career
Petersen, who was born on March 14, 1941, attended Hamburg’s Gelehrtenschule des Johannesums and began directing plays at the Ernst Deutsch Theater in 1960. He then studied at Berlin’s Film and Television Academy, where he was recognized for his work in the German television series Tatort. One or the Other of Us, Petersen’s debut feature film, was a psychological thriller released in 1974. He directed the 1977 film Die Konsequenz, which was based on Alexander Ziegler’s autobiographical book. His second picture, Das Boot, was released in 1982 and received critical acclaim as well as six Academy Award nominations. Wolfgang then directed The NeverEnding Story in 1984, followed by Enemy Mine in 1985, his first English feature. However, the latter was neither a critical nor economic success. His next English picture, In the Line of Fire, starred Clint Eastwood and was a box office hit.
Outbreak and Air Force One, Petersen’s next two pictures, were well appreciated by audiences and at the box office. For these two films, he was accompanied by German cinematographer Michael Ballhaus. In 1998, Wolfgang became a household name in Hollywood. Despite being the initial candidate to direct Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, he declined in 2000. His next picture, The Perfect Storm, was released in 2000 and was a box office hit. In 2004, Petersen inked a contract with Warner Bros., which was followed by Troy. In 2006, he directed Poseidon, a box office flop that cost Warner Bros. $69 million.
Ender’s Game, a military science fiction book, was considered for a cinematic adaptation by Petersen. His unfinished projects include a live-action remake of the anime film Paprika from 2006 and the science fiction book Old Man’s War. His most recent film as a filmmaker was the 2016 heist comedy Four Against the Bank.
Twitter users pay tribute
Wolfgang Petersen was a well-known film director noted for his immaculate work. When word of his death spread, Twitter was inundated with tributes.
#WolfgangPetersen
RIP Wolfgang Petersen. Enjoyed the films you directed-In The Line of Fire, Das Boot, Air Force One, Shattered and The Perfect Storm. You knew how to entertain us! pic.twitter.com/hTmKfwNObr— Darren DeBari Movie Discussion (@DarrenDebari) August 16, 2022
RIP Wolfgang Petersen, who directed three of my favorite thrillers — Das Boot, Air Force One, and In the Line of Fire — and whose striking English-language debut The Neverending Story was the source of my childhood nightmares pic.twitter.com/I4ogSVQTSo
— Brian Rowe 🏳️🌈🍿🎃 (@mrbrianrowe) August 17, 2022
