Director David R. Ellis Has Passed

It is being reported that director David R. Ellis passed away earlier today. According to Deadline, Ellis died in Johannesburg, South Africa while preparing to direct Kite. The details surrounding his death are not yet known, but it was said that his passing was sudden.

David R. Ellis was 60 at the time of his passing and will be remembered for his work as a director on multiple horror films, including Final Destination 2, Snakes on a Plane, The Final Destination and, most recently, Shark Night 3D. He was set to reunite with Samuel L. Jackson for a live-action adaptation of Kite, which was based on a popular Japanese anime title of the same name.

Aside from his work as a director, David R. Ellis also has dozens of stunt credits on films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Scarface, and Lethal Weapon. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and we'll update this story with any additional details that become available.