Hollywood stars whose movies released posthumously

Brittany Murphy, Bruce Lee, Heath Ledger and Robin Williams

Come April 2, fans will be able to see Paul Walker light up the silver screen one last time in the Fast and Furious 7. Walker was in the middle of filming the project when a car crash killed him on November 30 two years ago. Walker's brother Cody, 25, helped the makers complete the film. We look at other actors whose films released after their untimely demise.

Brittany Murphy

Murphy's death in December 2009 was initially attributed to a heart attack but later reports said that the actress died due to acute pneumonia and anaemia. However, rumours doing the rounds at that time said that she passed away because of possible drug use or an eating disorder. Known for films like Girl, Interrupted and 8 mile, the actress appeared in three films - Something Wicked, Abondoned and Deadline - after her death.

Heath Ledger
There is probably no movie buff who doesn't remember the Joker from The Dark Knight, 2008. Unfortunately, Heath Ledger, who essayed the character, died of drug overdose shortly before the film released. However, such was his performance that the actor was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for the Best Supporting Actor the next year. Ledger was also in the middle of filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus before his sudden death. In February 2008, as a "memorial tribute to the man many have called one of the best actors of his generation", Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell signed on to take over Ledger's role, becoming multiple incarnations of his character, Tony.

Robin Williams
Legendary comedian Robin Williams's death at 63 reminded us that depression doesn't discriminate and can hit almost anyone. A figure that made millions laugh, passed away in sadness. At the time of his death in August 2014, the actor had shot for four films - Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, A Merry Friggin' Christmas, Boulevard and Absolutely Anything. Of the four, Boulevard premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, but is yet to see a wide release.

Whitney Houston
This troubled international star began dabbling in acting in the early 1990s. The 1995 film, Waiting to Exhale, grossed 87 million dollars worldwide. A few films and years later, the singer checked into a rehab centre in 2004 and again in 2005. After a successful rehabilitation period and a few projects later, she went into rehab again in 2011. Post that, the singer/actress acquired the rights of the 1976 film, Sparkle, and produced and acted in it. The film released six months after Houston's death due accidental drowning.

James Dean
A journey that began with a television commercial ended with Dean being heralded as a cultural icon. In a career that spanned five years, the actor acted in three films namely, The East of Eden (1955), Rebel Without A Cause (1955) and Giant (1956). Dean, however, lived only to see the release of The East Of Eden. In 1956, he was nominated for Best Leading Actor for his role in East of Eden, which made Dean the first person in history to receive an Academy Award nomination posthumously. In 1957, Dean was again nominated for Best Leading Actor, this time for his role in Giant.

Bruce Lee

This revered martial art expert, actor and filmmaker's film Enter the Dragon released a month after he died of cerebral edema at 32. It is said that this film, which was made on a budget of one million dollars went on to gross 200 million dollars worldwide. The actor paved the way for a new breed of action heroes including Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jackie Chan.

Jill Clayburgh
The Oscar nominated actress passed away at 66 after a 21-year long battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Two of her films, namely Love and Other Drugs (in which she played Jake Gyllenhaal's mother) and Bridesmaids (in which the actress essayed the role of Kristen Wiig's mother) released post her death. "I think part of her sickness is what made her live her life ... and really cherish the moments she had and cherish the people she was with," said Gyllenhaal in an interview.