Roberto Orci, Mexican producer who wrote “Transformers,” dies

LOS ANGELES.— Once again, the entertainment world is in mourning, this time with the death of Roberto Orci, a writer and producer of Mexican origin, who passed away at the age of 51 in his home in Los Angeles.

The producer is remembered for being behind the new versions of the 2000s sagas such as “Star Trek” and “Transformers” , and is also noted as the creator of “Fringe”.

The science fiction creator died on February 25 due to kidney problems , according to Variety , without providing further details.

“He was a visionary storyteller with a boundless heart and a beautiful soul. But beyond his creative talents, he was a compassionate friend who would put his life on hold to help a stranger and find a place in his home for the most forgotten dog at the animal shelter,” Roberto’s brother, JR Orci, said in a press release .

Born on July 20, 1973 in Mexico City , to a Mexican father and a Cuban mother, he rose to prominence in Hollywood in the late 1990s thanks to his skills as a writer of fantasy, science fiction and adventure.

After emigrating from Mexico to the United States at the age of 10, Roberto Orci attended Crossroads School in Los Angeles, where he met his partner Alex Kurtzman during his adolescence, with whom he began writing scripts for short films, until both managed to make their professional debut in the series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys."

Another of Orci and Kurtzman ’s first film projects was Michael Bay’s “The Island” in 2005, which eventually led to them co-writing such blockbusters as two installments of the “Transformers” franchise, “People Like Us,” “Star Trek” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”

The Mexican also participated in the production of the franchises “Now You See Me” and “Ender's Game”; in addition, his name appears in the credits of “Mission Impossible 3,” recalled the magazine specialized in entertainment.

Roberto Orci and his partner also made series, as creators, writers and producers, on projects such as “Limitless,” “Scorpion,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Sleepy Hollow” and “Matador.”

Between 2005 and 2011 alone, Kurtzman and the Mexican producer 's film projects generated more than $3 billion in revenue.

*With information from EFE and Radio Fórmula .