Wes Craven, known for Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, passed away Sunday after battling brain cancer at the age of 76.

Craven, known for creating the Freddy Krueger character from Nightmare on Elm Street and the popular Scream franchise, also wrote and produced many other shows and novels. The director passed away on Sunday, August 30 due to a long battle with brain cancer.

The director’s first feature film was The Last House on the Left, which he wrote, directed, and edited back in 1972. His next films would be comic adaptations, which included The Hills Have Eyes and Swamp Thing.

His big break came when he directed A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984 starring a young Johnny Depp. The slasher film started an entirely new genre of horror flicks in the late 1980s and would become a staple for years to come.

Craven would go on to direct the Scream films, as well as write the novel Fountain Society within the next few years. He was a true artist, and his talents were seen by millions of fans. He had a massive following and it would lead to him having an incredibly long career in the industry.

He would later produce remakes of his original films The Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes, but continued directing with 2005’s Red Eye starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy.

Craven was known for having a presence Comic-Con. He had some of the most loyal fans in the business as they grew up watching his films, and it was their dream to meet the legendary writer/director. He would spend hours with fans, talking about his films and the horror genre as it changed throughout his time in the business.

Wes Craven was born on August 2, 1939, in Cleveland, Ohio. He is survived by his wife, Iya Labunka, a former Disney Studios VP, his sister Carol Buhrow, his son Jonathan Craven, daughter Jessica Craven, his stepdaughter Nina Tarnawksy and his three grandchildren.