Jon Landau, a renowned film producer known for his work on the blockbuster films 'Titanic' and 'Avatar,' has passed away at the age of 63. Born in New York, Landau attended USC's School of Cinematic Arts before beginning his career in film production.
Landau first gained recognition as a producer for James Cameron's Titanic (1997), which became the first film to surpass $1 billion at the global box office. He won an Academy Award for Best Picture for his work on the film.
In addition to Titanic, Landau also produced Cameron's Avatar franchise, including the record-breaking 2009 release and its sequels. He was deeply involved in expanding the Avatar franchise and collaborated with Disney on theme park attractions.
Landau's other notable productions include Netflix's Alita: Battle Angel and several films produced at Twentieth Century Fox throughout the 1990s, such as Die Hard 2, Power Rangers, The Last of the Mohicans, and True Lies.
Avatar: The Way of Water, the first of four planned Avatar sequels released in 2022, grossed over $2.3 billion worldwide. Landau was set to produce all four Avatar sequels with parts of Avatar 4 yet to be filmed.
Landau is survived by his wife Julie and their two children Jamie and Jodie.
Disney Entertainment co-chair Alan Bergman released a statement remembering Landau as an 'iconic and successful producer yet an even better person' who left an indelible mark on the film industry. “Jon was a visionary whose extraordinary talent and passion brought some of the most unforgettable stories to life on the big screen,” Bergman said.
Landau's death was first reported by TheWrap, with sources confirming that he had been battling cancer.
