John Landau: Titanic and Avatar producer dies at 63

John Landau – the Oscar-winning producer of some of the world’s highest-grossing films of all time, including Titanic and Avatar – has died at the age of 63.

Landau, who was director James Cameron’s longtime producing partner, reportedly died on Friday after battling cancer for more than a year.

His sister Tina confirmed his death on social media, describing him as “the best brother a girl could ever dream of.”

“My heart is broken but also bursting with pride and gratitude for his extraordinary life, the love and gifts he gave me — and everyone who knew him or his films,” she wrote.

Landau was the son of Hollywood producers Eli and Eddie Landau and was for a time an executive at film production company 20th Century Fox, overseeing films including The Last Of The Mohicans and Die Hard 2.

Along with Cameron, he helped create the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, which was the first film to cross the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office.

Subsequent films, such as Avatar and its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, released in 2009 and 2022, respectively, managed to break Titanic’s record.

Landau also co-produced other successful films including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Dick Tracy, and held a management position at Cameron’s production company Lightstorm Entertainment.

Following news of Lando’s death, Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter: “We have lost a great producer and a great human being.”

“John Landau believed in the dream of cinema. He believed that film was the ultimate human art form, and to make films you had to be human first,” he said.

“He will be remembered as much for his tremendous generosity as he will for the films themselves.”

Director Sir Peter Jackson and his screenwriter wife Fran Walsh, whose visual effects company was used in the Avatar films, said in a statement they were “devastated by the loss of John Lando”.

“John brought an unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on, and his influence will continue to inspire for years to come.”

Actress Zoe Saldana, who starred in the Avatar film series, wrote a message to Lando on Instagram saying his death was “very painful.”

“Your wisdom and support have shaped many of us in ways we will always be grateful for.”