Update: Cameron and others who worked with Landau over the years gave individual tributes to him on social media. On Instagram, Zoe Saldaña wrote that “[his] wisdom and support shaped so many of us in ways we will always be grateful for. […] Your legacy will continue to inspire us and guide us in our journey. Rest in peace, dear Jon. You will be deeply missed.”
Disney Entertainment co-chair Alan Bergman called Landau “a visionary whose extraordinary talent and passion brought some of the most unforgettable stories to life on the big screen. His remarkable contributions to the film industry have left an indelible mark, and he will be profoundly missed. He was an iconic and successful producer yet an even better person and a true force of nature who inspired all around him.”
“We speak for the entire Wētā FX team when we say we are devastated by the loss of Jon Landau,” said Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. “Jon was not only a monumental figure in the film industry but also a cherished collaborator and friend. Jon brought unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on and his influence will continue to inspire for years to come. Our deepest condolences are with Jon’s family and loved ones, as well as Jim and the Lightstorm Entertainment team.”
“The Avatar family grieves the loss of our friend and leader, Jon Landau. His zany humor, personal magnetism, great generosity of spirit and fierce will have held the center of our Avatar universe for almost two decades. His legacy is not just the films he produced, but the… pic.twitter.com/fsR77qHoO2
— Avatar (@officialavatar) July 7, 2024
“Jon believed in the dream of cinema. He believed that film is the ultimate human art form, and to make films you must first be human yourself,” said Cameron to the Hollywood Reporter. “He was my right hand, and I was his. […] I am grateful for every year, every day, every minute we had together. A part of myself has been torn away. But the amazing team he assembled and led still remains, and we will dedicate ourselves to fulfilling Jon’s legacy. Not just the films yet to come, but the love and connection that binds Avatar and Lightstorm together.”
Original story: Longtime film producer Jon Landau passed away at 63 years old. Per TheWrap, sources explained that he’d been battling cancer. Landau is best known for being the producer on a number of films at 20th Century Fox like the Avatar movies and Titanic.
Born July 30, 1960, he was the son of Ely and Edie Landau, who were film producers themselves. His first producer role was the 1987 film Campus Man from Paramount. By 1997, he became EP of feature film production for Fox, in turn making him a collaborator with James Cameron. The two have been a successful duo thanks to the aforementioned films, which became box office hits and awards darlings (Titanic was the first film to ever cross $1 billion worldwide), and some of the biggest movies of all time. He also produced 2002’s Solaris (directed by Steven Soderbergh), co-produced Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Dick Tracy, and oversaw Fox’s Power Rangers movie, True Lies, and Last of the Mohicans.
Landau became a steward of the Avatar franchise in recent years, and helped Cameron and Disney come up with the sequel movies and the Avatar theme park attractions. As COO of Lightstorm Entertainment, Landau led Avatar’s transmedia expansion into comics from Dark Horse and video games, including 2023’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora from Ubisoft.
io9 Senior Reporter Germain Lussier recalled being on the set of Alita Battle Angel (which Landau also produced) and being in awe of him. “He sat us down in a room and went over the whole movie with us,” Lussier recalled. “Even though it was already in production, it almost felt like he was pitching us on it. Explaining the story and why it meant so much to him. He was so assured and smart and articulate, I walked out of the room thinking two things. One – if the movie is half as good as that, it’s gonna be fantastic. And two – no wonder he’s one of the best producers in the world.”
At time of writing, Titanic star Frances Fisher was one of the first people to memorialize Landau on social media. Cameron has yet to say anything about his passing, but we’ll update when he does. Until then, we extend our condolences to Landau’s family and otheer loved ones.
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