Chuck Russell, director of The Mask and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, dies at 74

Chuck Russell, the director of several genre films including 1994’s “The Mask” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors,” has died at age 74. Multiple outlets report that he died in the San Diego area, with The Guardian saying he was found dead at his San Diego home on Wednesday and Deadline noting the death was reported by TMZ and confirmed by Variety. Russell’s filmography also includes “The Blob,” “Eraser,” and “The Scorpion King,” as well as “Bless This Child” and “Dreamscape,” according to trade publications. Coverage also credits him with directing major careers and later mainstream stars, including Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz from “The Mask,” and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson from “The Scorpion King.” Variety reports that his attorney confirmed the death and that local fire department personnel responded to his house. He was 74. No specific cause of death is provided in the accounts summarized here.