Declan O’Brien–who helmed three films in the Wrong Turn horror film franchise–has passed away at the age of 56.
O’Brien–who earned his film degree from Cal State Polytechnic University–turned his lifelong love of movies into a career as a producer, writer and director for the big and small screen.
The filmmaker is best known to horror fans as the man behind three of the sequels in the Wrong Turn series. O’Brien directed Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead (2009) and wrote and directed Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings (2011) and Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines (2012). He also helmed such genre films as Joy Ride 3: Roadkill and Sharktopus.
The original 2003 Wrong Turn–directed by Rob Schmidt from a screenplay by Alan B. McElroy–spawned five sequels and one reboot. The first six films focused on several families of deformed cannibals in West Virginia who hunt and kill people in horrific ways, using various traps and weaponry.
O’Brien is survived by his three children–Alec, Aidan and Caitlin. A ceremony is planned for the filmmaker on May 13.
The staff of Horror News Network extends its condolences to O’Brien’s family, friends and colleagues.
