FilmMagic
Saying that he seems like “part of myself has been torn away,” director James Cameron has paid tribute to his longtime producing accomplice Jon Landau, who died of most cancers July 5 at age 63.
Cameron and Landau had been close-knit producing companions for greater than 30 years, working collectively on such landmark movies as “Titanic” and the “Avatar” sequence.
“The Avatar household grieves the lack of our buddy and chief, Jon Landau. His zany humor, private magnetism, nice generosity of spirit and fierce could have held the middle of our Avatar universe for nearly twenty years,” Cameron mentioned in an announcement to Selection.
Cameron heralded Landau’s talent and love of serving to him push the boundaries of moviemaking, in addition to Landau’s admirable qualities as an individual.
“His legacy isn’t just the movies he produced, however the private instance he set — indomitable, caring, inclusive, tireless, insightful and totally distinctive. He produced nice movies, not by wielding energy however by spreading heat and the enjoyment of constructing cinema. He impressed us all to be and to carry our greatest, on daily basis,” Cameron mentioned. “I’ve misplaced a pricey buddy, and my closest collaborator of 31 years. Part of myself has been torn away.”
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Cameron and Landau started their skilled relationship 30 years in the past, when, as a movie government at twentieth Century Fox, Landau oversaw Cameron’s 1994 motion comedy “True Lies,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. When Landau left Fox, Cameron requested him if he needed to learn the script for a secretive challenge with the code title “Planet Ice.” Landau boarded the movie, which was launched in 1997 underneath the title “Titanic” and have become the primary film in historical past to cross the $1 billion mark on the international field workplace. Each males took dwelling Academy Awards as producers when “Titanic” gained finest image the next 12 months.
Landau would proceed to work with Cameron for the rest of his life, producing 2009’s “Avatar” and its 2022 sequel “Avatar: The Manner of Water.” Each movies topped the record-breaking grosses of “Titanic,” with $2.9 billion and $2.3 billion, respectively. As “Titanic” sits simply over $2.25 billion, Landau and Cameron boast three of the highest 4 highest-grossing motion pictures ever made.
The 2 just lately celebrated their profession achievements at Los Angeles’ Chinese language Theatre, the place they posed for a Hand and Footprint Ceremony, immortalizing the success of “The Manner of Water” at one among L.A.’s most iconic cinemas. Earlier than he died, Landau was deeply concerned within the manufacturing of the upcoming “Avatar” motion pictures, the following of which is slated for Dec. 19, 2025.
Landau was additionally the chief working officer at Cameron’s Lightstorm Leisure manufacturing firm. He was the architect of Lightstorm’s ancillary initiatives, corresponding to Darkish Horse Comics and Penguin Random Home’s varied “Avatar” print spinoffs. Landau additionally suggested the creation of “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora,” the well-received Ubisoft sport that launched in December, in addition to a web based multiplayer role-playing sport from Tencent Video games’ Degree Infinite referred to as “Avatar: Reckoning.”
Different friends and collaborators additionally honored Landau, together with co-chairman of Disney Leisure Alan Bergman, who mentioned, “Jon was a visionary whose extraordinary expertise and fervour introduced among the most unforgettable tales to life on the large display. His exceptional contributions to the movie business have left an indelible mark, and he will likely be profoundly missed. He was an iconic and profitable producer but a good higher particular person and a real power of nature who impressed throughout him. Our ideas are with Jon’s spouse, Julie, and his household and family members throughout this troublesome time.”
Stephen Rivkin, the editor on the primary three “Avatar” movies, mentioned in an announcement, “Jon was our hero. He’s and can at all times be the best champion of the Avatar motion pictures and the guiding gentle of the Avatar household who’ve labored and proceed to work on these movies. He was a one-of-a-kind big in our business. I’m so lucky to have recognized him and to have had him in my life, each professionally and as a pricey buddy. We’ll miss him past what phrases can categorical. He’ll proceed to reside in our hearts ceaselessly.”
Pictured: Jon Landau and James Cameron