We’re truly saddened to report that William Peter Blatty has passed away at the age of 89.

Blatty, of course, is well remembered by genre fans as being the man who wrote The Exorcist novel. That book was famously adapted to film by William Friedkin in 1973, and Friedkin himself took to Twitter following this sad news. He said, “William Peter Blatty, dear friend and brother who created The Exorcist passed away yesterday.”

According to wife Julie Alicia Blatty, the American author and filmmaker died on Thursday in a Bethesda, Maryland hospital. The cause of death was multiple myeloma, which is a form of blood cancer.

As well as writing The Exorcist book, Blatty also penned the movie’s screenplay. That film went on to become one of the most famous features of all-time, and is a truly iconic horror movie that’s still revered by fans and critics to this day. For his work in adapting The Exorcist, Blatty took home an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Following that work, he’d also go on to direct and write The Exorcist III, as well as working on the likes of The Great Bank Robbery and A Shot in the Dark. Back in the book world, his other famous works include Elsewhere, Dimiter and Exorcist Nothing: A Fable.

The thoughts of all here at STARBURST go out to the family, friends and fans of a true icon, William Peter Blatty. Rest in peace, sir.