Jon Landau, award-winning producer of Avatar and Titanic, dies at 63

Jon Landau, an American producer best known for producing Titanic and the Avatar film series, has died aged 63.

The Oscar-winning producer died of cancer on Saturday (NZT), reported Variety, leaving behind his wife Julie Landau and their sons Jamie and Jodie Landau.

Landau worked closely with director James Cameron over many years and the pair's collaborative efforts saw them make cinema history, with Titanic becoming the first film to top US$1 billion at the box office in 1997.

The duo twice managed to significantly break their box office record with Avatar, released in 2009, and its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, released in 2022.

Cameron and Landau's Titanic and Avatar films remain three of the four highest-grossing films ever made (Avengers: Endgame is the second highest-grossing film).

Landau entered the film industry in the 1980s and served as a production manager. Climbing the ladder, he was promoted and became the executive vice president of feature film production at 20th Century Fox at only 29 years old.

He oversaw projects across the company, including Power Rangers, Die Hard 2, and Cameron's own 1994 film True Lies.

Cameron shared a script of his project Planet Ice with Landau after he quit 20th Century Fox. Landau signed on and Planet Ice eventually became Titanic.

Despite the challenges involved in its creation, Titanic was a commercial success and received numerous accolades, including 11 Oscars.

"I can't act and I can't compose and I can't do visual effects, so I guess that's why I'm producing," Landau said on stage in his acceptance speech for the Best Picture award at the 1998 Oscars.

Landau and Cameron continued to work together after Titanic was released.

Landau joined Cameron's production company Lightstorm Entertainment as chief operating officer, and the pair's next big break was Cameron's visionary project Avatar.

The cult sci-fi movie, produced using industry-leading CGI and 3D technology, smashed Titanic's box office record and remains the highest-grossing film ever at US$2.92b (NZ$4.73b).

The success of Avatar continued years later when Cameron and Landau released its highly-anticipated sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, which made over US$2.32b (NZ$3.78b) at the box office.

Landau spoke of his time working in the film industry in a 2022 interview with The Talks.

"I could never just sit at a desk and sign off on anything. Not just as a producer but in life.

"I want to participate, I want to have a voice, I want to have an influence. I want to be able to inspire people to go beyond what they think their own capabilities are, for them to feel pride in what we're doing.

"I think that's a very big thing. I never want to be that guy just at a desk anywhere in life."

Sir Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh released a statement addressing Landau's death. Their company, Wētā FX, created the visual effects for the Avatar film series.

"We speak for the entire Wētā FX team when we say we are devastated by the loss of Jon Landau.

"Jon was not only a monumental figure in the film industry but also a cherished collaborator and friend. [He] brought unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on and his influence will continue to inspire for years to come.

"Our deepest condolences are with Jon's family and loved ones, as well as Jim and the Lightstorm Entertainment team."

Alan Bergman, the co-chair of Disney Entertainment, also shared in a statement: "Jon 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."

* This story was first published in the New Zealand Herald.