Chuck Russell, the director who turned Jim Carrey into a green-faced cartoon and Dwayne Johnson into a box office draw, was found dead at his San Diego home on Wednesday. He was 74.

Russell's career was a masterclass in resurrecting franchises and launching careers. He gave us A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob, and the 1994 megahit The Mask, which minted Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz as household names. In 2002, he handed The Rock his first leading role in The Scorpion King, proving that a man who talks to a cobra can indeed carry a film.

The director's family confirmed the news to TMZ, saying the local fire department was called Wednesday afternoon for an unconscious male. His attorney confirmed the death to Variety; cause of death remains TBD.

Born in Park Ridge, Illinois, Russell started as an executive producer on the cult slasher Hell Night (1981) before co-writing Dreamscape (1984), a sci-fi romp with Dennis Quaid. His directorial debut came with Dream Warriors (1987), a sequel hailed as a return to form after Freddy's Revenge made fans reach for the off switch.

After the 1988 remake of The Blob, Russell hit the big time with The Mask. The film was originally conceived as a horror flick - Russell said in 2024 that New Line wanted "another shocking horror film," but he argued it would be too much like Freddy Krueger. He won, and the film grossed over $350 million on an $18 million budget. Not bad for a guy who talked a studio out of gore.

Russell went on to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser (1996), Bless the Child (2000) with Kim Basinger, and The Scorpion King (2002). His final film was 2024's Witchboard, a remake of the 1986 horror. Cause of death remains a mystery, much like the plot of Bless the Child.