Jon Landau, an Oscar-winning producer known for his collaborations with James Cameron on “Titanic” and the “Avatar” franchise, died from cancer on Friday at the age of 63.
His death was confirmed by his son, Jamie Landau, according to The Hollywood Reporter. No additional details have been shared publicly at this time.
The legendary producer was instrumental in bringing to life three of the top four highest-grossing movies of all time, including the first film to gross over $1 billion at the global box office: Cameron’s 1997 epic romantic thriller “Titanic.”
Landau’s career first began at 20th Century Fox, where he became the executive vice president of feature film production at just 29.
During his tenure, he oversaw films such as “Die Hard 2,” “The Last of the Mohicans” and “True Lies,” where he first worked with Cameron. He later left Fox to join Cameron on a project called “Planet Ice,” which later became “Titanic.”
As a producer, Landau overcame numerous challenges on the project, including supervising the construction of the Fox Baja Studios in Mexico, home to the largest shooting tank in the world.
Despite budget overruns and a grueling production schedule, the film went on to win 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, a prize Landau shared with Cameron.
He would continue to work with the director for the rest of his life, and served as chief operating officer at Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment company.
Landau was recently involved in the production of the upcoming “Avatar” sequels, with the franchise planned to expand to five films by 2031.
Beyond film, he played a key role in developing additional projects, including Dark Horse Comics and Penguin Random House’s “Avatar” print spinoffs, as well as multiple video game “Avatar” adaptions.
Landau is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Julie Landau, and their two sons, Jamie and Jodie Landau. He also leaves behind his siblings, Tina, Kathy, and Les Landau.
