James Cameron, Zoe Saldaña and Peter Jackson pay tribute

Jon Landau

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James Cameron, Zoe Saldaña, Alan Bergman, Peter Jackson and Avatar: The Way of Water Cast and crew members are among those in Hollywood paying their respects to Jon Landau, who died Friday at the age of 63.

Landau was an Oscar-winning producer best known for his collaboration with Cameron on blockbuster films, including Titanic and that User image Franchise. His other credits include Alita: Battle Angel, Solaris And Darling, I have the Children.

Cameron remembered his long-time friend in a statement The Hollywood Reporterand wrote: “A great producer and a great human being has left us. Jon Landau believed in the dream of cinema. He believed that film was the ultimate human art form and that to make films you must first be human yourself. He will be remembered as much for his enormous generosity as for the films themselves.”

“I worked with Jon Landau for 31 years and never once saw him down,” added the filmmaker. “He led with a balance of humor and passionate will and a real joy in the work. When I met him, he was the studio suit-wearing, overseeing True Lies in 1993. Amid the logistical nightmare of that production, we learned to respect and like each other, a bond forged in fire. I lured him away from Fox to join my production company, Lightstorm, and together we made Titanica production as ambitious and seemingly ill-fated as the ship itself. Jon bore the brunt of the studio pressure and did his best to give me the time and resources to make the film I saw in my head. From then on, we became brothers in arms. We believed we could solve any production problem. The next mountain we climbed was User imagea production that was more like the Manhattan Project… we invented new physics as we went along. We mastered a brand new way of telling stories. Again, Jon gave it his all and never lost faith that we were doing something extraordinary and that we would somehow make it. In the process, we not only made a film, we started a family. Jon was the heart of the User image family, with his humor, his generosity, and his tremendous ability to make people feel valued and “seen.” He gave everyone a sense of purpose and belonging. And that continued during the filming of the sequels. It is impossible to convey how much our tight-knit group will miss this man, this force of nature… the center of our little bubble universe. Jon created a community, a family, on User image and Lightstorm, but not at the expense of his own family, which was always his top priority.”

Cameron continued in his heartfelt tribute, “Jon was my right-hand man and I was his. Over the last few years, we became a sort of trapeze act… total interdependence, total trust, total synchronization. We became not only the closest working partners, but the closest of friends. My last message to him was not just that I loved him, but that I missed our daily dialogue. We spoke twenty times a day, usually in his office, which he strategically placed between mine and the set. We solved any problem that came up. Jon had the strength to tell me when I was wrong, and I learned over the years to trust that he was right. Jon loved his work and loved the people around him, the amazing team he had built. Every day was a joyful battle against entropy – the chaos that threatens to undo any human endeavor. Under Jon’s watchful eye, the center always held. We fought through the pandemic together to deliver Avatar: The Way of Water. Together we thought we could solve anything. But you can’t solve the fragility of life itself. I am grateful for every year, every day, every minute we had together. I am grateful for the belief he had in me and what we were able to accomplish together through his partnership. A part of me was ripped away. But the amazing team he assembled and led remains, and we will be dedicated to fulfilling Jon’s legacy. Not just the films to come, but the love and connection that the User image and the Lightstorm family together.”

Saldaña, who was born in 2009 User image and 2022 Avatar: The Way of Wateralso wrote in an obituary on Instagram after the news of his death: “I’m finding it hard to find words at the moment, your death hits me really hard. You leave us too soon, my thoughts are with you and your family now. Your wisdom and support have shaped so many of us in ways we will always be grateful for. The memories we shared together will always hold a special place in my heart. Your legacy will continue to inspire us and guide us on our journey. Rest in peace dear Jon. We will miss you very much.”

Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, said in a statement: “Jon was a visionary whose extraordinary talent and passion brought some of the most unforgettable stories to life on screen. His remarkable contributions to the film industry have left an indelible mark and we will miss him deeply. He was an iconic and successful producer, but also an even better human being and a true force of nature who inspired everyone around him.”

Lord of the rings Director Peter Jackson and screenwriter Fran Walsh, whose digital visual effects and animation company Wētā FX worked with Landau on the film, User image Films, also remembered the producer in a joint statement shared with THR.

“We speak for the entire Wētā FX team when we say we are devastated by the loss of Jon Landau,” they wrote. “Jon was not only a monumental figure in the film industry, but also a valued collaborator and friend. Jon brought unparalleled passion to the projects he worked on and his influence will continue to inspire for years to come. Our deepest condolences go out to Jon’s family and loved ones, as well as to Jim and the team at Lightstorm Entertainment.”

Joe Letteri, who won the Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for his work on User image And Avatar: The Way of Waterpaid tribute to Landau in a statement: “I am deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Jon Landau. He was an amazing and generous man and a world-class filmmaker who leaves behind a legacy that will last for generations. On behalf of all of us at Wētā FX, it was an honor to work alongside him. His dedication to the art of filmmaking inspired us every day. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

Further honors can be found below.