Roberto Orci, a writer and producer known for his work on some of the biggest action and sci-fi films and TV shows of the past 20 years, has died.
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Per Deadline, Orci passed away at his Los Angeles home on Feb. 25 after battling kidney disease. He was 51.
Born in Mexico City, Orci immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 10. He began his career as a writer and producer on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. For much of his career, he worked in partnership with Alex Kurtzman, forming a highly successful creative duo.
Orci served as co-writer and producer for the 2009 Star Trek film reboot and its two sequels, as well as for the 2007 Transformers movie and its 2009 sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Orci’s impressive filmography also included writing credits for Mission: Impossible III and The Legend of Zorro. He also had producing roles on the Now You See Me franchise, The Proposal, Eagle Eye, The Mummy and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the latter of which he also co-wrote.
Meanwhile on TV, Orci co-created and served as executive producer for CBS’s reboot of Hawaii Five-0. He also worked on popular series like Fox’s Fringe and Sleepy Hollow, as well as ABC’s Alias and CBS’s Scorpion.
Roberto Orci was Involved in Heated Legal Battle with Estranged Wife
In a lawsuit filed in late August 2024, Taylor accused her husband, Orci, of physical and sexual assault. According to court documents obtained by Variety, Taylor alleged that Orci, whom she described as a bipolar alcoholic, frequently erupted into violent rages. She claimed these outbursts led to multiple incidents of abuse.
In June 2024, Orci sued Taylor, accusing her of assaulting him with a taser and pepper spray. He claimed Taylor exploited his struggles with alcoholism for financial gain.
Meanwhile, tributes poured in from fans and colleagues alike for Orci in the wake of his death.
“Dude shaped many young fans’ childhoods, including mine, and this honestly stings to see, man,” one fan wrote on X. “Rest in peace Roberto Orci,” they added.
“Between Alias, Fringe, Star Trek 2009 and Mission: Impossible III, Roberto Orci was a big part of some terrifically entertaining films and series I’ve revisited many times,” a second fan added.
“My first boss in Hollywood said the script for STAR TREK was the best he’d ever read — and he wasn’t kidding,” Greatest Beer Run Ever producer Joe Russo wrote on X. “Roberto Orci was a generational screenwriting talent and his death at only 51 is a tragic loss, because I’m sure there were more masterworks to come.”
“RIP to one of the greats,” Russo added.