Curtis Lee Hanson (March 24, 1945 – September 20, 2016) was an American movie director, producer, and screenwriter. He was known for his directing work. His works include the psychological thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), the neo-noir crime movie L.A. Confidential (1997), the comedy Wonder Boys (2000), the hip hop drama 8 Mile (2002), and the romantic comedy-drama In Her Shoes (2005).
Hanson won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1998, for co-writing L.A. Confidential with Brian Helgeland.
Hanson later retired from his work. He was reported to suffer from dementia. He died of natural causes at his Los Angeles home at the age of 71.