The Oscar-winning producer Jon Landau has passed away due to cancer. He was 63 years old, writes, among others, Variety.
"A part of me has been torn away", says friend and director James Cameron.
Landau was 63 years old. Throughout almost his entire working life, he collaborated closely with director James Cameron. Together, they worked on three of the four most profitable films of all time: "Titanic" (1997), "Avatar" (2009), and the sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022). "Titanic" won eleven Oscars and became the first film to gross over one billion dollars in ticket sales.
I can't act, compose music, or do special effects, so I guess that's why I produce, said Landau when he received his Oscar together with Cameron.
Cameron: "A part of me"
Landau became vice president of the film company 20th Century Fox at the age of 29. There, he worked on films such as "Die Hard 2", "Power Rangers", "The Last of the Mohicans", and "True Lies". It was also there that his long partnership with James Cameron took off.
"A part of me has been torn away", writes James Cameron in a statement where he remembers "a dear friend and my closest collaborator for 31 years."
"His legacy is not just the films he produced, but the personal touch he brought – he was fearless, considerate, inclusive, tireless, insightful, and completely unique", writes Cameron.
"Monumental"
Many others who worked with Landau are mourning his loss. For example, "The Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson and producer Fran Walsh, whose company did the visual effects for the "Avatar" films. They say they are "crushed" and call Landau a "monumental figure in the film industry".
"Jon brought unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on, and his influence will continue to inspire for many years to come. Our deepest condolences are with Jon's family and loved ones."
Landau leaves behind his wife Julie Landau, whom he was married to for 40 years, as well as their sons Jamie and Jodie Landau. He is also mourned by his siblings Tina, Kathy, and Les Landau.
