Sean Stone dead at 31: action movie producer who worked with Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson died from cancer

Sean Stone, an American action film producer who worked with Bruce Willis, John Travolta, and Mel Gibson over his brief career, has died, aged 31.

The producer died on Tuesday (March 5) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey - he had been diagnosed with metastatic neuroendocrine cancer of the colon in July 2023.

The New Jersey born producer studied at University of Arizona before moving to Los Angeles in 2017 to pursue his dream of working in Hollywood. He worked on a series of direct to video low budget action films that leaned on big name stars. 

Stone’s first film was the 2022 thriller Hot Seat, starring Mel Gibson and Kevin Dillon, about an ex-hacker who is forced to break into high-level banking institutions.

Stone worked as creative executive on two more films that year, both of which starred Bruce Willis; Wrong Place, in which Willis played a former police chief who is hunted by a meth cook who plans to stop him from testifying against him, and Wire Room, about an agent who listens in on a wire as his target is attacked by a hit squad, and must spring into action to protect the asset.

Stone’s last two films will both be released posthumously - they are heist thriller Cash Out, due out in April, and its sequel High Rollers, both of which star John Travolta. Stone worked as executive producer on these movies.

Producer Randall Emmett, who worked with Stone on Wire Room, Wrong Place, and Hot Seat shared a tribute on Instagram, writing: “Yesterday I lost one of my best friends @seanstone00 He was not just a friend but most people knew I considered him the brother I always wanted. Sean is my hero.”

He added: “I love you Sean, we will never forget how you touched our souls and our lives all of my love and prayers now goto your amazing family. I’m sorry for this loss both for your family and the world that you have touched.”

Stone is survived by his parents David and Ileen, and his siblings, Ashley, Justin, Michael, Mallory and Brian.