Jon Landau, the acclaimed Oscar-winning producer known for his contributions to several of the highest-grossing films in cinematic history, died on Friday, July 5, at the age of 63.
This news has been confirmed by multiple sources, including Deadline, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter.
According to Variety, the cause of Landau’s death was cancer, although further specifics have not been disclosed. Landau’s distinguished career included a longstanding collaboration with director James Cameron.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Landau produced iconic films such as Titanic, Avatar, and its 2022 sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. These films rank among the highest-grossing movies of all time.
At Lightstorm Entertainment, Cameron’s production company where Landau served as chief operating officer, the two created numerous films, including Solaris (2002) and Alita: Battle Angel (2019). They were also working on expanding the Avatar franchise.
Before his tenure at Lightstorm, Landau was the executive vice president of feature film production at 20th Century Fox. His oversight included movies like Die Hard 2, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Power Rangers, as reported by Variety.
Landau’s return to producing with the 1997 blockbuster Titanic marked a significant milestone in his career. Alongside Cameron, Landau contributed to Titanic’s groundbreaking achievement as the first film to gross over $1 billion worldwide.
The film also tied the record for the most Academy Awards won by a single film, securing 11 Oscars, including Best Picture—a feat previously achieved by Ben-Hur and later matched by The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Director Sir Peter Jackson and his screenwriter wife Fran Walsh, whose visual effects company was used for the Avatar films, expressed in a statement that they were “deeply saddened by the passing of Jon Landau”.
