Morgan Spurlock, the award-winning filmmaker behind documentary sensation Super Size Me, has died at the age of 53, US media reports.
The 2004 film captured his symptoms from eating McDonald’s for every meal, every day for a month - and increasing his order to ‘super-size’ if the cashier asked him.
Spurlock’s family confirmed his death in a statement to Variety, with his cause of death given as cancer-related complications.
Craig Spurlock said: “It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan.
“Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
The film was a huge hit and within weeks McDonald’s discontinued their ‘super size’ servings.
His physical and mental health rapidly declined, and he gained 24.5 pounds by the end of the experiment.
The film was critically acclaimed and grossed $22million at the global box office, as reported by Variety.
However it did attract controversy as Spurlock declined to make his diet logs public and failed to disclose his own alcoholism.
He went on to direct Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden in 2008 and the documentary concert movie One Direction: This is Us.
The West Virginia native produced nearly 70 documentaries through his production company Warrior Poet.
