LOS ANGELES — Wes Craven, whose “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Scream” movies made him one of the most recognizable names in the horror film genre, has died. He was 76.
Craven’s family said in a statement that he died in his Los Angeles home Sunday after battling brain cancer.
A prolific writer, director and editor, Craven was credited with reinventing the teen horror genre with the 1984 release of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” starring a then-unknown Johnny Depp. The movie led to several sequels, as did his 1996 movie “Scream.”
Besides his work in horror films, Craven also directed the drama “Music of the Heart,” which earned Meryl Streep an Oscar nomination.
Craven is survived by his wife, producer Iya Labunka, a son, a daughter and a stepdaughter.
