Titanic and Avatar producer Jon Landau dies aged 63

Jon Landau, the Oscar-winning producer known for his work on some of the highest-grossing films of all time, including Titanic and Avatar, has passed away at the age of 63. Landau, who had been battling cancer for over a year, died on Friday. His sister Tina confirmed his death on social media, describing him as 'the best brother a girl could ever dream of'. She expressed her heartbreak but also her pride and gratitude for his extraordinary life and the love and gifts he shared with those who knew him or his films.

Landau was born into a family of Hollywood producers, Ely and Edie Landau. He held an executive position at 20th Century Fox, where he oversaw the production of films such as The Last Of The Mohicans and Die Hard 2. His long-time collaboration with filmmaker James Cameron led to the creation of the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, which became the first film to surpass the $1 billion mark at the global box office. Their subsequent projects, Avatar and its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, released in 2009 and 2022 respectively, went on to break Titanic's record.

In addition to his work with Cameron, Landau co-produced other successful films, including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Dick Tracy. He also held a management position at Cameron's production company, Lightstorm Entertainment. Following the news of Landau's death, James Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter that 'a great producer and a great human being has left us'. He praised Landau's belief in the dream of cinema and his conviction that film is the ultimate human art form. Cameron emphasized that Landau will be remembered for his vast generosity of spirit as much as for his movies.

Director Sir Peter Jackson and his screenwriter wife Fran Walsh, whose visual effects company contributed to the Avatar films, released a statement expressing their devastation at Landau's passing. They highlighted his unparalleled passion for his projects and noted that his influence will continue to inspire for years to come. Actress Zoe Saldaña, who starred in the Avatar films, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, stating that Landau's death was 'hitting really hard'. She acknowledged the profound impact of his wisdom and support on many people, for which they will always be grateful.