German director Wolfgang Petersen, who has made successful productions with Hollywood's most famous actors such as George Clooney, Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt during his 50-year career, has died at the age of 81.

His publicist Michelle Bega said the director died of pancreatic cancer at his home.

Petersen was particularly known for writing and directing the 1981 anti-war movie "Das Boot," which won two Academy Awards. Germany's most expensive movie, it revolved around the choking claustrophobia of life aboard a German U-boat during the Battle of the Atlantic. The movie starred German actor Jurgen Prochnow as the captain of a doomed crew of German submariners plunged into a series of dangerous missions during the World War II.

The movie launched his international debut.

In Hollywood, he made eight films, including the political thriller "In the Line of Fire" (1993), "Outbreak" (1995), "Air Force One" (1997), "The Perfect Storm" (2000) and "Troy" (2004), giving five consecutive box office hits, the outlet detailed.