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Justin Hardy, director of Wicker Man sequel, dies three weeks before its premiere

Hardy, a Bafta-nominated film-maker, has died aged 61, having completed a sequel to the cult 1973 folk-horror made by his father Robin Hardy British film-maker Justin Hardy, the son of The Wicker Man director Robin Hardy, has died aged 61. He had recently completed Wrath of the Gods, a second sequel to the fondly regarded folk-horror film, inspired by a story idea discovered in his father’s archives. In a statement, the director’s family said they are “devastated to share that Justin Hardy passed away [on Friday]. He was so full of life right to the end, and incredibly energised to be working towards premiering his latest film this month. We are all so proud of him and heartbroken he won’t be with us at his premiere. He was a man of family, of boundless creativity and of devotion for everyone he held dear.” The BBC reported Hardy died after a heart attack. Continue reading...

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Hardy, a Bafta-nominated film-maker, has died aged 61, having completed a sequel to the cult 1973 folk-horror made by his father Robin Hardy British film-maker Justin Hardy, the son of The Wicker Man director Robin Hardy, has died aged 61. He had recently completed Wrath of the Gods, a second sequel to the fondly regarded folk-horror film, inspired by a story idea discovered in his father’s archives. In a statement, the director’s family said they are “devastated to share that Justin Hardy passed away [on Friday]. He was so full of life right to the end, and incredibly energised to be working towards premiering his latest film this month. We are all so proud of him and heartbroken he won’t be with us at his premiere. He was a man of family, of boundless creativity and of devotion for everyone he held dear.” The BBC reported Hardy died after a heart attack. Continue reading...

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According to The Guardian’s linked report, Justin Hardy, director of Wicker Man sequel, dies three weeks before its premiere, Hardy, a Bafta-nominated film-maker, has died aged 61, having completed a sequel to the cult 1973 folk-horror made by his father Robin Hardy British film-maker Justin Hardy, the son of The Wicker Man director Robin Hardy, has died aged 61. He had recently completed Wrath of the Gods, a second sequel to the fondly regarded folk-horror film, inspired by a story idea discovered in his father’s archives. In a statement, the director’s family said they are “devastated to share that Justin Hardy passed away [on Friday]. He was so full of life right to the end, and incredibly energised to be working towards premiering his latest film this month. We are all so proud of him and heartbroken he won’t be with us at his premiere. He was a man of family, of boundless creativity and of devotion for everyone he held dear.” The BBC reported Hardy died after a heart attack. Continue reading…

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The development sits in VINI’s Culture coverage for readers following arts, entertainment, fashion, film, music, celebrity, and the business of culture. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The linked report is dated 2026-08-03T15:54:06+00:00.

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Primary source: Justin Hardy, director of Wicker Man sequel, dies three weeks before its premiere via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.

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