Summary
Jon Landauhas passed away. Not to be confused with the music critic and Bruce Springsteen collaborator of the same name, Landau is a film producer who is perhaps best known for his work on multipleJames Cameron movies. He first began working alongside the iconicAliensdirector on 1997’sTitanicand continued collaborating with him on his 2009 followupAvatarand its sequelThe Way of Water, both of which now number among the Top 3 highest-grossing movies of all time. Landau was nominated for Oscars for his work on all three titles, winning in 1998 forTitanic.
PerTheWrap, Landau has passed away from cancer at the age of 63. The filmmaker, who was born in New York City on July 20, 2025, had his death confirmed by “a source close to the family.” Already, tributes to the producer have been pouring in from across social media, includingTitanicstarFrances Fishersaying “Rest in Power Jon” and reporterGermain Lussiersaying that Landau was “an incredibly smart, passionate man.”
Jon Landau’s Career Remembered
The Producer Worked On More Than A Dozen Movies
In addition to working on three major James Cameron narrative features,Landau collaborated with the filmmaker on a variety of other projectson which he was not the director. This includes the 2012 documentaryTitanic: The Final Word with James Cameron(which Cameron produced in addition to appearing onscreen and narrating) and Robert Rodriguez’s 2019 anime adaptationAlita: Battle Angel(which Cameron produced and co-wrote). Landau is also currently credited as a producer on the threeupcomingAvatarmovies.
However, his career extends beyond just collaborations with Cameron. This includes his early movies, such as his work as a production manager beginning in the mid-1980s on projects includingKey Exchange,F/X, and theHannibal Lecter movieManhunter. He also produced non-Cameron projects both before and afterTitanic, including 1987’sCampus Man, 1989’sHoney, I Shrunk the Kids, and 1990’sDick Tracy. Just like the man who shares his name,Landau also collaborated with Bruce Springsteen multiple timeson documentaries, includingWestern StarsandBruce Springsteen’s Letter to You.
Landau first worked with Springsteen in 1987 withBruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Live in East Berlin.
WhileAvatar: The Way of Wateris the most recent movie produced byJon Landau, there are several non-Avatarprojects that were in the works before his death that will premiere posthumously. This includes the Maria Bamford TV movieChristmas Bells, due in November, and another Springsteen collaboration, the 2024 Disney+ documentaryRoad Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. While Landau will be sorely missed by his friends, family, and fans, his work lives on and showcases his wide-ranging legacy.
