Tenacious D says Twitter account was hacked, sparking Jack Black death hoax

LOS ANGELES, June 5 (UPI) -- Tenacious D is clearing up those Jack Black, death-hoax rumors that took the Internet by storm Sunday.

"WE had our Twitter account hacked," the comedy-rock duo of Black and Kyle Gass tweeted. "We can assure you that Jack is ALIVE and WELL and that this was a sick 'prank.'"

An earlier Sunday post on the Tenacious D account, which has since been removed, said: "I'm sad to officially announce the death of Jack Black at the age of 46, rest in peace brother," Gossip Cop reported.

Subsequent tweets on the account read: "#RipJackBlack" and "It is with a heavy heart I am to announce that Jack Black passed away last night at 3:37am. The cause of death is yet unknown."

The BBC said this is the third time Black has been the subject of a death hoax after erroneous reports surfaced in 2012, claiming he had fallen off a cliff in New Zealand, and again in 2014 when he allegedly died after a stroke.

Black's film credits include the Kung Fu Panda franchise, Goosebumps, Tropic Thunder, School of Rock and High Fidelity.