As the creative force behind film classics including When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me and The Princess Bride, the filmmaker proved himself an expert in creating astonishingly kind and humane cinema.

His death is a shocking, senseless end to a remarkable life, writes Adam White.

Nick Reiner, the youngest son of Hollywood director Rob and photographer Michele Reiner, appeared briefly in a Los Angeles court Wednesday morning after being charged with the murder of his parents.

The 32-year-old was arrested Sunday night after allegedly stabbing his parents to death in their Brentwood home. He did not enter a plea, but, if convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Reiner’s struggles with addiction were well-known, as were the lengths his parents went to in order to help and support him throughout their lives.

On the night before their deaths, guests at an A-list party recalled Rob Reiner chastising his son over his behavior – though accounts now differ as to how severe the argument were.

Police have revealed where the bodies of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found.

Officers discovered the couple in their bedroom, inside their Los Angeles estate.

Jake and Romy Reiner released a statement Wednesday addressing their parents’ deaths, according to The New York Times.

Their brother, Nick Reiner, briefly appeared in court today after he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with his parents’ deaths. He did not enter a plea, and his arraignment has been postponed to January 7.

“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” Jake and Romy Reiner said.

“We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave,” they added.

Nick Reiner was charged with two counts of first-degree murder Tuesday in connection with his parents’ deaths.

These counts include a “special circumstance of multiple murders,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said.

Special circumstances typically elevate the level of punishment, according to the California law firm Eisner Gorin LLP.

In California, a person convicted of first-degree murder without a special circumstance could face 25 years to life behind bars.

But when a special circumstance is added, someone convicted of first-degree murder could be sentenced to death, or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Hochman confirmed Tuesday that Reiner, if convicted, could face a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty. However, no decision has been made about whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty, he noted.

Nick Reiner made a brief appearance in court Wednesday.

His defense attorney, Alan Jackson, asked the judge to postpone his arraignment. Jackson then gave a brief statement to reporters outside the courthouse.

Reiner is expected to appear in court again on January 7.

However, Variety reports that the planned theatre and IMAX release has now been postponed indefinitely. A source told the publication that distributors Bleecker Street will wait until “the best path forward is decided with those closest to Rob and his family.”

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with his parents’ deaths.

He has struggled with drug addiction since his teen years.

Katie Rosseinsky explores how the Reiners helped their son, and the heartbreak the family has endured:

Romy Reiner, the daughter of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, reportedly found her father dead in their Los Angeles home.

Romy was called to her parents’ house Sunday afternoon by the couple’s massage therapist, after there was no answer at the front gate, according to The New York Times.

After finding her father’s body inside, she fled the home in distress, the Times reports. Her roommate, who had accompanied her to the scene, then called 911.

Romy was unaware her mother had also died, and didn’t find out until paramedics told her, according to the outlet.

Romy and her brother, Jake Reiner, have since released a statement on their parents’ deaths.

“The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” they said.

Rob Reiner directed the 2015 film Being Charlie, which his son, Nick Reiner, co-wrote.

The 32-year-old has struggled with addiction from a young age and entered his first drug treatment program at 15.

In a 2016 interview with People, Nick recalled his experience with homelessness.

“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” he said. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun.”

“If I wanted to do it my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting, then I had to be homeless,” he added.