Jon Landau never directed a Disney movie, but his hands were imprinted on their properties. Landau passes away at the age of 63.
Landau is best known for his work as a producer and has worked closely with director James Cameron on Titanic and then on the Avatar series that Disney now has rights to. In addition, he was a co-producer on one of Disney's biggest films, Honey I Shrunk the Kids.
Landau was an Oscar-winning producer. He won seven times in eleven nominations. In addition to the Avatar series and Titanic, Landau produced Alita: Battle Angel and the George Clooney film Solaris. He began his career in the mid-1980s. He co-produced Dick Tracy, the comic live-action film with Warren Beatty. This came a year after co-producing Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Not many Hollywood elites can say they were part of two Disney attractions, Pandora and the former 3D attraction and Hollywood Studios play area named after the "Shrunk" franchise.
A cause of death was not revealed officially, but there has been rumors that Landau was privately dealing with cancer the last year.
Landau was set to produce the next several Avatar films with Cameron. Landau worked with Cameron for 27 years and helped pave the way for the director to get financing for his projects as well as much needed time to complete them. Cameron has always tried to break the tech barrier with his films and directing style. It takes a strong producer to get the money to make those types of films.
Landau first worked with Cameron on the film True Lies with Arnold Schwartzenegger.