Renowned film producer Jon Landau dies at age 63

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of a film visionary whose work on a series of legendary productions earned him some of the industry's most prestigious awards.

Jon Landau, the producer behind features such as Titanic, Avatar, and The Way of Water has died at the age of 63, as Fox News reports.

Legendary producer dies

According to Variety, Landau died on Friday after a battle with cancer.

His passing was confirmed by Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney entertainment, who had nothing but praise for the longtime director.

After graduating from the film school at the University of Southern California, Landau's career got its start in the 1980s, when he worked as a production manager and, eventually, as a co-producer on some of the era's most notable feature films.

His credits include work on Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Dick Tracy, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and more, and he ultimately gained an even greater reputation when he joined forces with director James Cameron with whom he enjoyed several successful collaborations.

Perhaps the duo's best-known endeavor was Titanic, which was the first film to surpass $1 billion in worldwide box office takings, but the pair went on to beat their own records with Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water.

Remembering a life and career

Remarking on his professional trajectory, Landau once humorously said, “I can't act and I can't compose and I can't do visual effects, so I guess that's why I'm producing.

Commenting on transformations he observed in the film industry over time, Landau also mused, “One of the things that has not changed is: Why do people turn to entertainment today? Just like they did when the first Avatar was released, they do it to escape, to escape the world in which we live.”

In announcing Landau's death, Bergman noted, “Jon was a visionary whose extraordinary talent and passion brought some of the most unforgettable stories to life on the big screen.”

“He was an iconic and successful producer yet an even better person and a true force of nature who inspired all around him,” Bergman added.

Left to mourn his death are Landau's wife Julie, two sons, and three siblings, not to mention millions of movie fans around the world who will continue to treasure the legacy he leaves behind.