much younger. wes craven has now died at the age of 76. the kids of elm street don t know it yet but something is coming to get them. there s something out there, isn t there? [ screaming ] i mean, oh, my goodness. craven is credited with defining the horror genre with the nightmare on elm street series blurring the lines between reality and fiction. he died of brain cancer and was surrounded by his family. i was one of those people who was kept awake at night, sleepovers in elementary school, freddie crougar freaked me out.