Overview
- Emergency crews responded to a medical call at Russell’s home near San Diego and his family confirmed he died unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 22.
- No cause of death has been released and local authorities have opened inquiries while the coroner’s findings are pending.
- Russell is survived by his wife, Ania, and three children, and multiple relatives have traveled to California to gather information.
- He directed genre and mainstream hits including The Mask, Eraser and The Scorpion King and worked with Industrial Light and Magic on pioneering digital effects that earned The Mask an Oscar nomination for visual effects.
- After a long pause from directing he returned in 2016 and remained active with recent projects and interviews, and his death leaves questions about the status of any unfinished work and how his technical legacy will be preserved.