‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar’ Producer Jon Landau Dies at 63

Jon Landau, a renowned film producer known for his collaborations with James Cameron on iconic films such as “Titanic” and the “Avatar” franchise, has passed away at the age of 63 after a battle with cancer, according to a source close to his family.

Landau was pivotal in producing three of the highest-grossing films of all time, demonstrating a deep understanding of what makes cinema successful. In a 2022 interview with The Talks, he discussed his personal measure of a film’s success.

“For me personally, I enjoy going to the movies, so a film’s success depends on whether it provides for me that escape — I don’t want to think about ‘Avatar,’ I don’t want to think about bills that have to be paid, all of these things,” he said. “Do I walk away from the theater having felt something emotionally? That’s how I view a movie that I go to as successful.”

Landau expressed admiration for movies like “Black Panther” and “Top Gun: Maverick” for their emotional impact on him.

During his career, Landau served as the executive vice president of feature film production at Twentieth Century Fox throughout the 1990s. However, he is most celebrated for producing the 1997 blockbuster “Titanic,” which earned him an Academy Award. The film became the first to gross over $1 billion.

In the same interview, Landau talked about how “Titanic” motivated him in his career. “I would say it has not changed it, but it has motivated me to even strive for newer heights cinematically. If you look at ‘Titanic’ and the standard that set; I’m talking about Deborah Scott and her costumes, Russell Carpenter’s cinematography, Peter Lamont’s production design…”

He further elaborated, “With ‘Titanic,’ we were doing history. It was all real. Now, with ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ we’re world building. You have to combine the visuals seamlessly between a CGI world and a live action role. And all of that has to be better than the last ‘Avatar.’”

Landau’s tenure at Twentieth Century Fox also saw him supervising other significant films, including “Die Hard 2,” “True Lies,” “Power Rangers,” and “The Last of the Mohicans.”

“Titanic” star Frances Fisher was one of the first to pay tribute to Landau online. She responded to a 2023 video he shared on X, saying, “Had to come to your page to hear your voice. Fly with the angels dear Jon” and later tweeted separately, “Rest in Power Jon.”

Jon Landau was born on July 30, 1960, in New York, New York to Ely and Edie Landau, both of whom were also producers. He attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

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