Wes Craven, famed horror director and creator of Scream and The Nightmare on Elm Street franchises, has died.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the director passed away Sunday over his battle with brain cancer. Credited for changing the horror genre, Craven released his first blockbuster film, The Last House on The Left in 1972. After the success of "Nightmare" films in the 80's, he used his grim perspective of gore and terror to create the "Scream" films from 1996 to 2011. The films went on to gross over $100 million domestically.

Craven is also given credit for the careers of Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone and Bruce Willis. The veteran actors' respective first roles were in Craven's films. In the mid 2000's, the director went on to make more modest films and pen a novel. He returned to horror a few years ago with the remakes of The Hills Have Eyes (2006) and The Last House on the Left (2009).

Craven is survived by his wife Iya Labunka, his sister Carol, children Jonathan and Jessica, grandchildren Miles, Max and Myra-Jean and step daughter Nina.

Craven was 76.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter | Photo Credit: Screenshot