Jon Landau stands during the 95th Annual Academy Awards Nominations Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California in February 2023. Man, who worked closely with director James Cameron on the Titanic and Avatar series, has died.
Chris Pizzero/Invision/AP
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Chris Pizzero/Invision/AP
LOS ANGELES — Oscar-winning producer Jon Landau, who worked closely with director James Cameron on three of the highest-grossing blockbusters of all time, “Titanic” and two of the “Avatar” films, has died. He is 63 years old.
Landau’s family announced his death Saturday. No cause of death was given.
Landau’s work with Cameron earned him three Oscar nominations and a Best Picture win for 1997’s “Titanic.” The two have worked together on some of the biggest blockbusters in film history, including “Avatar” and its sequel “Avatar: Waterfall.”
Cameron said in a lengthy statement published by The Hollywood Reporter: “Jon Landau believed deeply in the dream of cinema. He believed that movies are the ultimate human art form and that in order to make movies, you must first become human yourself.” “He will be remembered for his immense generosity of spirit and the film itself.
“I have worked with Jon Landau for 31 years and I have never seen him depressed,” Cameron said. “His leadership style is both humorous and determined, and he brings a genuine joy to his work.”
Landau began his career in the 1980s as a production manager and worked his way up the ranks, serving as co-producer on “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “Dick Tracy.”
He served as producer on “Titanic,” Cameron’s big-budget epic about the infamous 1912 shipwreck. The bet paid off: Titanic became the first film to gross over $1 billion at the global box office and won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
“I can’t act, I can’t compose, and I can’t do visual effects, so I guess that’s why I produce,” Lando said while accepting the award with Cameron.
Their relationship continued, with Landau becoming a senior executive at Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment. In 2009, the two watched the sci-fi epic “Avatar”, which was shot using groundbreaking 3D technology and released in theaters. Its box office success surpassed “Titanic”. It remains the highest-grossing film of all time.
Its sequel, Avatar: Waterpath, came in third.
“Your wisdom and support have shaped so many of us and we will be forever grateful,” Zoe Saldanha, one of the stars of the “Avatar” series, said in a touching tribute on Instagram. “Your legacy will continue to inspire us and guide our journey.”
Landau has been a key figure in the “Avatar” franchise, but the release of “Waterfall” has often been delayed. Landau defended the sequel’s progress and Cameron’s ambitious plan to shoot multiple sequels simultaneously to keep the franchise moving forward.
“A lot of things have changed, but a lot of things haven’t changed,” Landau told The Associated Press in 2022, months before the sequel was released. “One thing that hasn’t changed is: Why are people turning to entertainment today? Just Like they did when the first Avatar came out, they’re doing it to escape, to escape the world we live in.”
“Jon was a visionary whose extraordinary talent and passion brought some of the most unforgettable stories to the big screen. His remarkable contribution to the film industry has left an indelible mark and will be deeply missed. He is an inspiration to everyone around him.
At the age of 29, Landau was named executive vice president of feature films at 20th Century Fox, which led to him directing hits including “Home Alone” and its sequels, “My Fair Lady” and “True Lies.” It started by working closely with Cameron.
Landau was also influential in bringing the 2019 comic book adaptation Alita: Battle Angel to the big screen. Instead, Landau collaborated with director Robert Rodriguez on the film.
Landau was born in New York on July 23, 1960, the son of film producers Ely Landau and Edie Landau. In the 1970s, the family moved to Los Angeles, where Landau later graduated from the University of Southern California Film School.
Ely Landau died in 1993.
Jon Landau is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Julie; their sons, Jamie and Judy; two sisters and a brother.
