Ivan Reitman, the producer and director best known for his work on the Ghostbustersfranchise, has died at the age of 75.

His family confirmed Reitman's death in a statement, per the BBC, saying that he passed away in his sleep.

"Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life," said his children in a statement.

"We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world."

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Reitman trained in filmmaking in Canada after fleeing Communism in Czechoslovakia. His first big break came as a producer on National Lampoon's Animal Housein 1978.

Ghostbusters, which released in 1984, was the movie that really made Reitman's name as a director. The action comedy sparked a franchise that's been running for close to 40 years now, the latest instalment of which, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, was produced by Reitman and directed by his son, Jason.

In the hours since the news of his death broke, a number stars have taken to social media to pay tribute to Reitman.

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Ghostbusters is my first favorite movie ever

— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) February 14, 2022

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SEE ALSO:There is no right way to mourn celebrities on the internet

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TopicsCelebrities