Overview
- Russell’s death was confirmed by his attorney after emergency responders were called and were unable to revive him following an incident at his home on Wednesday, July 22.
- He is survived by his wife Ania, three children — Logan, Riley and Carlyn — his former wife Patti Rao and his sister Anne Jacob.
- Russell directed landmark genre films including A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, The Blob, The Mask and Eraser, and his work on The Mask with Industrial Light & Magic earned an Academy Award nomination for visual effects and broad commercial success.
- His most recent finished film credit is the 2024 Witchboard remake, and he had announced two generative-AI productions, Hyperia and b, at his company Neumorphic, showing continued involvement in new production technology.
- With no official cause released, the family is seeking answers and tributes are mounting, while colleagues and fans note his influence on effects-driven filmmaking and on launching actors’ careers.