Horror legend Wes Craven dies of brain cancer

Legendary horror writer/director Wes Craven has died of brain cancer at the age of 76, The Hollywood Reporter reports.

Craven is best known for creating the iconic Freddy Krueger character in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise as well as the 'ghostface killer' in the "Scream" films (which is now an MTV series).

He's also responsible for a slew of other classics that have since been remade, including "The Hills Have Eyes" and "The Last House on the Left," which was his debut feature in 1972.

In 2005, he returned post-"Scream" to direct both the critically acclaimed plane thriller "Red Eye" and the not-so-well-received Christina Ricci werewolf film "Cursed."

He most recently sat in the director's chair for 2011's "Scream 4," eleven years after the release of "Scream 3" in 2000.