‘Avatar’ Producer Jon Landau Has Died
Earlier in 2024, legendary film executive Jon Landau made a surprising appearance at Walt Disney Imagineering.
At the time, speculation ensued about whether Landau was working on the Avatar experience coming to Disneyland.
Disney
Tragically, Landau won’t see that project come to fruition, as the producer has died at the age of 63. Here’s what we know.
About Jon Landau
D23
During the late 1980s, Jon Landau followed in his parents’ footsteps by working in Hollywood.
His mother, Edie, and his father, Ely, produced more than 15 films together, including Long Day’s Journey into Night.
Image: Embassy Pictures
Legendary actress Katherine Hepburn earned one of her Academy Award nominations for that project.
Jon Landau was still in diapers at the time. So, he was raised in this business and quickly entered it at the age of 27.
Image: Deadline
That’s how old Landau was when he earned his first producer credit.
Before his 30th birthday, Landau had already worked on two box office hits, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Dick Tracy.
Photo: Disney+
Soon afterward, Landau became one of Hollywood’s youngest executive vice presidents when he joined Twentieth Century Fox.
As one of his assignments, Landau discovered himself in a shotgun business marriage with a talented, tempestuous director.
Image: LA Times
Neither person knew it at the time, but the film True Lies would become the start of a beautiful friendship between Landau and James Cameron.
The legendary director hired Landau to work on his challenging screenplay, an ambitious story about a legendary shipwreck.
Photo: Vulture
Cameron persuaded Landau to leave his cushy Fox gig and become a full-time producer for the project.
That story became Titanic, one of the greatest box office hits/awards winners ever.
Photo: Complex.com
Only two executive producers are listed for that film: James Cameron and Jon Landau.
The duo developed a kind of good cop/bad cop relationship in Hollywood, with Landau smoothing over Cameron’s brusque nature.
Avatar and Disney
Photo: Disney
For 12 years, Titanic was the most successful blockbuster ever, earning $2.26 billion and counting.
Movie theaters occasionally re-release the film because its stunning technical elements and love story still attract audiences today.
Photo: Disney
Most producers and directors would consider one hit of this scale to be a blessing beyond all reason.
Remarkably, the Landau/Cameron duo would surpass that box office mark two more times.
Photo: Disney
In 2009, the producer and director again did the impossible in creating a blockbuster of similar scale.
The film was Avatar, a long-gestating project Cameron had imagined in high school.
Photo: Disney
This auteur spent most of his adult life trying to bring Avatar to fruition, with Landau ultimately helping him reach that goal.
Avatar not only earned $2.92 billion at the box office, the largest total in history, but also directly led to half a decade of 3D theatrical releases and had a $2.3 billion sequel.
(Disney)
All the imitators tried to create an Avatar-like moviegoing experience, but nobody else in the industry could touch the film’s technical innovations.
Over time, Landau and Cameron developed relationships with Disney CEO Bob Iger and others.
Photo: D23
In 2011, Disney announced that it would create an entire theme park land based on the fictional realm of Avatar.
Construction on the real-world version of Pandora took three years to begin and seven years to complete.
Pandora — World of Avatar
However, Pandora – The World of Avatar was instantly hailed as a masterstroke of Imagineering.
Landau and Cameron deserved plenty of credit for liaising with Disney throughout the process to guarantee an ideal recreation.
Landau Dies Unexpectedly
Image: Variety
At the time of publication, the details of Jon Landau’s death remain unknown.
The producer was 63 years old and would have celebrated a birthday later this month.
Image: NBC News
We know he was healthy enough to perform a surprise visit to Walt Disney Imagineering in late January.
At the time, Landau encouraged speculation about the new Avatar experience coming to the parks.
Since then, Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, has hinted that Disneyland Resort will introduce something entirely different from Avatar at Walt Disney World.
Landau would have played an integral part in that expansion had he lived long enough.
As things stand, you may safely expect tributes to Landau to populate parts of the upcoming Avatar experience.
He was as integral to the story of Avatar as anyone else other than its creator, his longtime partner, James Cameron.
Memorializing Landau
Bob Iger – 2024 Annual Shareholder Meeting
Iger shared his thoughts on Landau on Instagram.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jon Landau, a great person, a friend…and a towering figure in our industry.
Bob Iger – 2023 Annual Shareholder Meeting
“Our deepest condolences to his family, his friends, and to Jim Cameron, his partner for 27 wonderfully productive and creative years.”
Alan Bergman, the Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, added:
Photo: The Hollywood Reporter
“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.
Disney
“He was an iconic and successful producer yet an even better person and a true force of nature who inspired all around him.”
Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson also memorialized Landau.
Peter Jackson, director/producer of The Beatles: Get Back.
Credit:SNPA / Ross Setforcd
“Jon was not only a monumental figure in the film industry but also a cherished collaborator and friend.
“Jon brought unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on and his influence will continue to inspire for years to come.
Photo: NPR
“Our deepest condolences are with Jon’s family and loved ones, as well as Jim and the Lightstorm Entertainment team.”
Hollywood has lost an icon, the producer of three of the four biggest blockbusters ever.
Image: Getty Images
MickeyBlog extends its best wishes to the family and friends of Jon Landau, one of the true titans of the film industry.
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Feature Photo:@jonplandau on Instagram
