LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Jon Landau, an producer who worked closely with director on three of the biggest blockbusters of all time, 鈥淭itanic鈥� and two 鈥淎vatar鈥� films, has died. He was 63.
Landau's family announced his death Saturday. No cause of death was given.
Landau's partnership with Cameron led to three Oscar nominations and a best picture win for 1997's 鈥淭itanic.鈥� Together the pair account for some of the biggest blockbusters in movie history, including 鈥淎vatar鈥� and its sequel, 鈥淎vatar: The Way of Water.鈥�
Cameron, in a statement, remembered 鈥渁 dear friend, and my closest collaborator of 31 years." 鈥淎 part of myself has been torn away,鈥� said Cameron.
鈥淗is zany humor, personal magnetism, great generosity of spirit and fierce will have held the center of our Avatar universe for almost two decades,鈥� said Cameron. 鈥淗is legacy is not just the films he produced, but the personal example he set 鈥� indomitable, caring, inclusive, tireless, insightful and utterly unique.鈥�
Landau's career began in the 1980s as a production manager, and he gradually rose through the ranks, serving as a co-producer on 鈥淗oney I Shrunk the Kids鈥� and 鈥淒ick Tracy.鈥�
He took on the producer role on 鈥淭itanic,鈥� Cameron's expensive epic about the infamous 1912 maritime disaster. The bet paid off: 鈥淭itanic鈥� became the first movie to cross $1 billion in global box-office earnings and went on to win 11 Oscars, including best picture.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 act and I can鈥檛 compose and I can鈥檛 do visual effects, so I guess that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 producing.鈥� with Cameron.
Their partnership continued, with Landau becoming a top executive at Cameron鈥檚 Lightstorm Entertainment. In 2009 the pair watched as 鈥淎vatar,鈥� a sci-fi epic filmed and shown in theaters with groundbreaking 3D technology, surpassed the box-office success of 鈥淭itanic.鈥� It remains the top-grossing film of all time.
Its sequel, 鈥淎vatar: The Way of Water,鈥� is third on the list.
鈥淵our wisdom and support shaped so many of us in ways we will always be grateful for,鈥� Zoe Salda帽a, one of the stars of the 鈥淎vatar鈥� franchise, said in an . 鈥淵our legacy will continue to inspire us and guide us in our journey.鈥�
Landau has been a key player in the 鈥淎vatar鈥� franchise, which saw frequent delays of the release of 鈥淭he Way of Water.鈥� Landau defended the sequel鈥檚 progress and Cameron鈥檚 ambitious plans to film multiple sequels at once to keep the franchise going.
鈥淎 lot has changed but a lot hasn鈥檛,鈥� in 2022, a few months ahead of the sequel鈥檚 release. 鈥淥ne of the things that has not changed is: Why do people turn to entertainment today? Just like they did when the first 鈥楢vatar鈥� was released, they do it to escape, to escape the world in which we live.鈥�
鈥淛on was a visionary whose extraordinary talent and passion brought some of the most unforgettable stories to life on the big screen. His remarkable contributions to the film industry have left an indelible mark, and he will be profoundly missed. He was an iconic and successful producer yet an even better person and a true force of nature who inspired all around him,鈥� Alan Bergman, Disney Entertainment co-chairman, said in a statement.
Landau was named an executive vice president of feature movies at 20th Century Fox when he was 29, which led him to oversee major hits including 鈥淗ome Alone鈥� and its sequel, as well as 鈥淢rs. Doubtfire鈥� and 鈥淭rue Lies,鈥� where he first started working closely with Cameron.
Landau was also influential in bringing the manga adaptation 鈥淎lita: Battle Angel鈥� to the big screen in 2019. Cameron supported the project, but his 鈥淎vatar鈥� commitments kept him from directing it. Instead, Landau worked with director Robert Rodriguez to get the film completed.
Born in New York on July 23, 1960, Landau was the son of film producers Ely and Edie Landau. The family moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s, and Landau went on to graduate from the University of Southern California鈥檚 film school.
Ely Landau died in 1993. Edie Landau, the Oscar-nominated producer of films like 鈥淟ong Day鈥檚 Journey Into Night,鈥� 鈥淗opscotch鈥� and 鈥淭he Deadly Game,鈥� .
Jon Landau is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Julie; their sons, Jamie and Jodie; and two sisters and a brother.
Anthony Mccartney, The Associated Press
