He died last Friday at the age of 81 from pancreatic cancer, the American press reported Tuesday..

Born in Emden, Germany, in 1941, Petersen died at his home in Brentwood in Los Angeles, California, leaving an important legacy to the film industry.

With his debut film, "Das Boot: The Submarine Odyssey 96" (1981), which follows the journey of a German crew in a submarine during World War II, according to Sapo Notícias, the filmmaker was nominated for a BAFTA award and nominated for six Oscar statuettes, including those for best directing and best adapted screenplay.

Since then, Petersen has had a regular career in Hollywood with films widely accepted by audiences, such as "Neverending Story" (1984).

Directed and co-written by the German, the film follows the adventures of little Bastian Balthazar Bux (Barrett Oliver) between reality and a fantasy world.

Petersen had previously made short films and films for German television between the 1960s and 1970s.

Counting several productions of action, suspense and fantasy films, the filmmaker was behind such titles as "Enemies" (1985), "Shattered" (1991), "In the Line of Fire" (1993), "Outbreak" (1995), "Air Force One" (1997), "Perfect Storm" (2001), "Troy" (2004) and "Poseidon" (2006).

Studio shooting of action films, which at the time required a complex technique, was one of Petersen's strengths.

George Clooney, Morgan Greeman, Clint Eastwood, Glenn Close, Harrison Ford, Renee Russo, Brad Pitt, Diane Lane, and Dustin Hoffman head the long list of famous artists who have been at the director's beck and call.

Petersen's funeral ceremonies will be held in private by decision of his wife, Maria Antoinette, and his son, Daniel.