Scott Wampler, a Texas-based entertainment journalist, film critic and podcaster best known as the co-host of the Stephen King-focused “Kingcast,” died Friday of undisclosed causes.
“Scott Wampler passed away today. He was my friend, co-host, and partner in crime. I’m still in shock. I don’t know many details, but I know it was sudden and he was with friends,” Wamplers longtime friend and “Kingcast” co-host Eric Vespe said Friday.
“I don’t know what to say right now other than he was a singular presence. Hunter Thompson would have called him ‘one of God’s own prototypes, a high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production.’ That’s the Scott I knew. Hilarious, infuriating, singular,” Vespe added.
Born in Plano, Texas, Wampler grew up in the Dallas area but as an adult was based in Austin. His age wasn’t formally made public but he has previously indicated he was born in either 1980 or 1981.
He wrote for several publications during his tenure as an entertainment journalist, rising to national prominence as part of the staff of the Alamo Drafthouse-owned website and magazine Birth.Movies.Death, where he made a mark by infusing a playful tone into his coverage of entertainment news, oftentimes poking fun at the seriousness with which some news (specifically related to superheroes) would be taken by fans. He eventually served as managing editor.
Wampler also contributed to Collider, among other publications, and after B.M.D. was shut down he worked for the venerable horror magazine-turned-website Fangoria, where he cocreated and cohosted the “Kingcast” with Vespe in 2020. He also cocreated and cohosted the “Hellraiser” podcast “Jesus Wept,” which had only recently launched.
At the time of his death, Wampler and Vespe were working on a new project, the details of which were not revealed.
Following the news, Wampler’s friends and admirers, among them filmmakers and journalists, paid tribute.
“REST IN PEACE, SCOTT WAMPLER. YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR STORYTELLING WILL BE FOREVER INFECTIOUS. WHEREVER YOU ARE, WHATEVER YOU ARE NOW, I IMAGINE YOU’D ENJOY BEING AN ETERNAL CONTAGION. I MISS YOU ALREADY,” “Hannibal” series creator Bryan Fuller wrote.
Read on for more tributes.
Adam Chitwood contributed to this report.