Titanic and Avatar Producer Jon Landau Passes Away at 63

Jon Landau, the Oscar-winning producer known for his work on ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar’, passed away at the age of 63. The news of his demise was confirmed by his son, Jamie Landau. He died on Friday in Los Angeles, although the cause of death has not been disclosed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Landau was a long-time producing partner of director James Cameron, contributing to the creation of some of the most successful films in cinema history. His collaboration with Cameron began when he was at Fox and was assigned to the director’s 1994 action-comedy ‘True Lies’. Reflecting on his initial experience with Cameron, Landau shared in a February interview, “I think Jim was a little skeptical. He said, ‘So I understand we’re gonna get to be pretty good friends. Or maybe not,'” Landau recounted with a laugh during Deadline’s ‘Behind the Lens’ segment.

Born on July 23, 1960, in New York, Jon Landau came from a family deeply rooted in the film industry. His parents, Ely A. Landau and Edie Landau, owned movie theaters in Manhattan and founded the American Film Theater, producing notable films such as ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’ (1962), ‘The Pawnbroker’ (1965), ‘The Iceman Cometh’ (1973), and ‘The Chosen’ (1981).

Landau’s career as a producer began with Paramount’s ‘Campus Man’ in 1987. He went on to co-produce two Disney films, Joe Johnston’s ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ and Warren Beatty’s ‘Dick Tracy’. His most significant achievements came through his partnership with Cameron, leading to the massive successes of ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar’.

Before his death, Landau was heavily involved in the production of the ‘Avatar’ sequels, continuing his legacy in the film industry. His contributions to cinema have left an indelible mark, and his work will be remembered by audiences worldwide.