John Lafia Cause of Death: Child’s Play Co-Screenwriter and Franchise Director Dies by Suicide at 63

By Mathhew Paul On Aug 27, 2022

Famous American filmmaker John Lafia was born on April 2, 1957. John Lafia has the zodiac sign of Aries, say the astrologers.

Film and television writer, director, producer, and musician John Lafia (April 2, 1957 – April 29, 2020) lived in the United States. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Television from UCLA. Lafia has worked with numerous studios and production companies over the course of his career. His list of produced credits includes more than thirty projects for studios like Paramount, Universal, New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures, Columbia Pictures, MGM/UA, Warner Bros., NBC, CBS, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, and dozens more.

The Los Angeles underground music scene was where Lafia cut his teeth before he became a filmmaker. Under the alias John J. Lafia, he published his debut album, Prayers (1984), on the cassette-only label Tranceport Tapes. The album cover, by Lane Smith (artist), and the artwork within were both created by Lafia.

The Financial Worth of John Lafia

The film director John Lafia is reportedly very wealthy and highly sought after. Our research indicates that John Lafia has a net worth of about $1.5 million, as reported by Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.

The Blue Iguana was Lafia’s first film, and he had multiple roles in its creation, including composing the score. It premiered at midnight in the Palais des Festivals at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. Child’s Play is a film that Lafia collaborated on writing (1988).

Chucky’s name and catchphrase “Hi, I’m Chucky, want to play?” are both attributed to him as a screenwriter. When it was first released, Child’s Play topped the charts in North America. The film was nominated for best writing and won the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film.

A Life Story of John Lafia

Famous American filmmaker John Lafia was born on April 2, 1957. The Blue Iguana was Lafia’s first film, and he had multiple roles in its creation, including composing the score. It premiered at midnight in the Palais des Festivals at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.

Child’s Play is a film that Lafia collaborated on writing (1988). Chucky’s name and catchphrase “Hi, I’m Chucky, want to play?” are both attributed to him as a screenwriter. When it was first released, Child’s Play topped the charts in North America. The film was nominated for best writing and won the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. The film also made it into the official lineup for the International Fantastic Film Festival of Avoriaz. The sequel to Child’s Play was directed by Lafia (1990). Upon its release in North America, the film topped the box office rankings.

Explanation of Death

The director and co-writer of the 1988 horror classic “Child’s Play,” John Lafia, passed away on April 29 in Los Angeles. He was 63.

Lafia worked on the film’s screenplay alongside Tom Holland and Don Mancini; he is credited with creating the character of Chucky and writing the now-iconic line “Hi, I’m Chucky, want to play?” The original “Child’s Play,” released in 1988, was a huge success at the box office and was later nominated for an Oscar for best writing and won a Saturn for a best horror film. The 2019 redo also features his writing.

In a statement released by Lafia’s family, “Child’s Play” director and co-writer Don Mancini said, “We’re devastated to hear of the demise of our buddy John Lafia. From the very start, he was an integral member of the “Chucky” clan. He co-wrote the story for the first ‘Child’s Play picture with Tom Holland and me, and John directed the sequel, which is widely regarded by fans of ‘Chucky’s’ favorite film.

When it came to his work, John was immensely generous. He invited me to sit in on all of his meetings and let me shadow him on set, teaching me more about filmmaking in those few months than I would have in an entire year of film school. To top it all off, John was one of the most inquisitive and inventive guys I’ve ever encountered; he was constantly sketching and making notes.

The Coroner’s Office in Los Angeles County determined that suicide was the cause of death. The 1957-born Lafia earned a BFA in film and television from UCLA. Before becoming a screenwriter, he worked in the art department on Alex Cox’s “Repo Man” and “Space Raiders.”

For the 1988 action picture “The Blue Iguana,” which starred Dylan McDermott, he served as writer, director, and music producer. At the 1988 Cannes Film Festival, “The Blue Iguana” was included in the festival’s official selection and was screened at midnight. The science fiction picture he developed and directed, “Man’s Best Friend,” debuted at No. 2 at the box office in 1993. Besides “10,” Lafia also penned, directed, and produced the TV miniseries “10.5,” which aired in 2004, and “10.5: Apocalypse,” which aired in 2006.