Andrew Gunn, Producer Behind Disney Hits ‘Freaky Friday’ and ‘Sky High,’ Dies After ALS Battle

It was a somber day in the film world when news broke that Andrew Gunn, a producer whose name helped shape the Disney comedy and family adventure films of the early 2000s, passed away on March 2, 2026. He was 56 and had been contending with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, since 2024. With his arrival, we lost not just a creative executive but a builder of cinematic childhood memories.

A Career Built on Magic and Mentorship

Born on July 15, 1969 in Toronto, Canada, Gunn founded Gunn Films in 2001 and later co-founded Solstice Studios in Los Angeles. His early work included running development at Great Oaks Entertainment—under the mentorship of John Hughes—where he worked on Disney adaptations such as 101 Dalmatians, 102 Dalmatians, and Flubber. His signature came in producing original Disney films like The Country Bears and the theme-park-inspired The Haunted Mansion, but his biggest hits were undoubtedly Freaky Friday (2003) and Sky High (2005). These films didn’t just entertain—they built his reputation as someone who trusted youthful energy, quirky humor, and family heart over trends and algorithms.

The Struggle with ALS and His Final Years

Gunn publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with ALS in 2024. The disease, which affects motor neurons and steadily robs patients of muscle control, often leads to death within 2-5 years of diagnosis. In Gunn’s case, complications from ALS took his life just over a year after the diagnosis. He died at his home in Toronto, surrounded by family. His children, Isabelle and Connor, had worked alongside him in recent projects—Isabelle in the camera department, Connor in props—making his final collaborations deeply personal.

Lasting Impact on Talent and Telling Stories

Besides headline titles, Gunn’s legacy includes a lesser-known but powerful influence on writers and filmmakers. In 2001 he founded the Disney Writers Program, a path enabled five previously unproduced writers each year to gain mentorship and exposure. Among its alumni are David Berenbaum (Elf, The Haunted Mansion), Matt Lopez, and David DiGilio. He nurtured future execs too, such as Tendo Nagenda and Erin Westerman, now leading figures in film and streaming. Numerous peers spoke of Gunn’s rare mix: someone with rugged demeanor on the outside but deep kindness and generosity at the center.

The Highs, The Missed Projects, and Final Return

Many of Gunn’s biggest films were commercial successes, and several were critical hits—for example, Freaky Friday earned a Golden Globe nomination for Jamie Lee Curtis. Projects like Sky High blended superhero mechanics with adolescent coming-of-age themes, striking a balance Disney rarely hits. And though some projects, like Order of the Seven, didn’t make it to screen, they shaped the careers of those involved—like director Michael Gracey—and became benchmarks for what many in the industry still view as pure creative partnerships.

In 2025 Gunn returned to the world that had given him his biggest successes with the sequel Freakier Friday. That film, reuniting him with Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, and a new generation of collaborators, was also meaningful at home: working closely with his children. He once said in an interview, “I can’t express what that meant to me” to see them working every day on set.

Andrew Gunn is survived by his wife, Jane Bellamy Gunn; his children Isabelle and Connor; his mother Anne Gunn; and siblings Hilary, Graeme, and Cameron. He was predeceased by his father, Charles Gunn.

His work lives on in the laughter, the thrills, and the emotions he helped bring to screen. Even for those without a filmmaking bone in their body, his films were often passports back to simpler days of sibling squabbles, magical mishaps, and flying school buses. Andrew Gunn didn’t just produce movies—he helped shape family stories we’ll pass down.

In a business driven by trends, Andrew Gunn chased possibility—and in doing so, left a legacy that few can forget.