William H. Wisher Jr., the screenwriter best known for co-writing James Cameron's The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day, has died at the age of 71. His family confirmed he passed away peacefully at home, describing him as someone who believed stories had the power to connect people across generations. His work helped shape the science fiction action genre, with The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) remaining influential decades after their release.

Beyond the Terminator franchise, Wisher's screenwriting credits included Judge Dredd (1995), The 13th Warrior (1999), Exorcist: The Beginning (2004), Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005), Live Free or Die Hard (2007) and I.T. (2016). He is survived by his wife, Deborah Lynn Wisher, his siblings Brian Wisher, John Wisher, Carla DeMaci and Dana Aboissiere, and a wider circle of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.