“Wolfgang Petersen dead 2025” : Director killed by internet death hoax

By Jessica Simpson
Berlin
Last updated on June 2, 2025

Wolfgang Petersen is the latest celeb to fall victim to a death hoax

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News of director Wolfgang Petersen’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the May 2025 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the director best known for Troy or In the Line of Fire is alive and well.

UPDATE 02/06/2025 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Wolfgang Petersen death hoax spreads on Facebook

Rumors of the director’s alleged demise gained traction on Saturday after a ‘R.I.P. Wolfgang Petersen’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the German director’s passing:

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (May 31, 2025), our beloved director Wolfgang Petersen passed away. Wolfgang Petersen was born on March 14, 1941 in Emden. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 84-year-old director and screenwriter was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.

Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major German network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a director of Wolfgang Petersen's stature would be major news across networks.

A recent poll conducted for the Celebrity Post shows that a large majority (87%) of respondents think those Wolfgang Petersen death rumors are not funny anymore.

Wolfgang Petersen Death Hoax Dismissed Since Director Is ‘Alive And Well’

On Sunday (June 01) the director's reps officially confirmed that Wolfgang Petersen is not dead. “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet,” they said.

Some fans have expressed anger at the fake report saying it was reckless, distressing and hurtful to fans of the much loved director. Others say this shows his extreme popularity across the globe.