Batman Forever And Lost Boys Director Joel Schumacher Dies Aged 80

Joel Schumacher, who directed The Lost Boys and two Batman movies, has died at the age of 80.

The news was confirmed by Variety, who announced that Schumacher died on Monday morning in New York City after a year-long battle with cancer.

A statement read: "Filmmaker Joel Schumacher, director of such films as St Elmo's Fire, A Time to Kill, The Client, and Tigerland, passed away quietly from cancer this morning after a year-long battle.

"He will be fondly remembered by his friends and collaborators."

Alex Winter, one of the stars of The Lost Boys, tweeted a tribute to the filmmaker, who also directed Flatliners and many other feature films.

He said: "Joel was a creative genius; a master at clothing design, costuming, writing and of course directing.

"Joel saw something in me as an actor I didn't see and gave me the confidence and space to pursue it. Unfairly savaged by critics his entire career, his great work will live on."

Schumacher began his career by dressing the windows of New York department stores, but got into the film industry as a costume designer.

Though he made his directorial debut in 1974 with Virginia Hill, he shot to prominence years later with St Elmo's Fire starring 'Brat Pack' favourites Rob Lowe and Emilio Esteves, as well as Ally Sheedy and Demi Moore.

His career in the 1990s saw him at the helm for two movies in the Batman franchise - Batman Forever, and the subsequent Batman & Robin in 1995 and 1997 respectively.

On top of that, he directed Colin Farrell and Kiefer Sutherland in Phone Booth, and the big-budget The Phantom of the Opera starring Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Miranda Richardson and Minnie Driver.

Following the news, fellow director Kevin Smith tweeted: "RIP, Joel Schumacher. I met him on the set of the ill-fated Batman & Robin and he couldn't have been nicer or more hospitable (and the man looooved to gossip).

"The Incredible Shrinking Woman was an early cable TV classic for me and I loved St Elmo's Fire, The Client and Flawless."

Most recently, Schumacher took the helm on a few episodes of Netflix's wildly successful House of Cards as well as executive producing the series Do Not Disturb: Hotel Horrors for ID.

He received a special recognition award at the 2010 Camerimage Awards, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, and a Distinguished Collaborator Award at the Costume Designers Guild Awards in 2011.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: TV and Film, US Entertainment

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

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