"Saw" and "Saw II" producer Gregg Hoffman has died unexpectedly in Los Angeles at age 42.
Hoffman died Sunday after being admitted to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital for neck pain, The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
Lions Gate Entertainment released a statement saying the producer died of "natural causes." An autopsy was pending.
The former Walt Disney Co. executive was enjoying the success of his low-budget horror films "Saw" and "Saw II," which he independently financed with his partners at Twisted Pictures.
"We've won the lottery," Hoffman told the Times last month.
At Disney, Hoffman helped develop children's films including "Inspector Gadget," "101 Dalmatians" and "The Parent Trap." He became a senior vice president of production and produced "George of the Jungle."
He left in January 2003 to join his friends at Evolution Entertainment and almost immediately began developing "Saw." The trio gathered $1 million to finance the film and formed Twisted Pictures. At the time of his death, Hoffman was putting together "Saw III" and "Crawlspace."
He is survived by his wife, Lucienne, two children, his mother and a sister.
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