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Jon Landau

Jon Landau

Producer, also actor · Died July 5, 2024, aged 63 · New York City, New York, USA

Oscar winner · BAFTA Award nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Jon Landau (/ˈlændaʊ/; July 23, 1960 – July 5, 2024) was an American film producer. Best known for his collaborations with filmmaker James Cameron, he notably co-produced Cameron's epic romantic film Titanic (1997)—for which he won the Academy Award for Best Picture—as well as Cameron's Avatar film series (2009–2029). As of 2025, Titanic, Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) are three of the four highest-grossing films of all time, with Avatar in the top spot (not adjusted for inflation). Landau's other notable credits include Solaris (2002) and Alita: Battle Angel (2019), both of which he produced alongside Cameron, as well as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) and Dick Tracy (1990). Following his death from cancer in 2024, Landau's final works will be the final three Avatar sequels, for which he will be credited posthumously. His memoir, The Bigger Picture: My Blockbuster Life & Lessons Learned Along the Way, written after his cancer diagnosis, was published in November 2025, featuring a foreword by Cameron. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jon Landau, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 23, 1960
Died
July 5, 2024 (aged 63)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Producer, also actor
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 21 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 41% in 30 days

What are Jon Landau's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 91st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
27%
Self
26%
Ideas
21%
Morality
9%
Survival
9%
Society
7%
Power
2%
Art3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 7 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
7
Tense
6
Melancholic
6
Thrilling
6
Warm
3
Other
11

How their films linger

Hopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jon Landau's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jon Landau's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

21 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Avatar 5 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2031)

    Producer

  • Avatar 4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2029)

    Producer

  • Avatar: Fire and Ash(2025)

    In Memory Of · Producer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films(2025)

    Show 2 episodes · In Memory Of · as Self - Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Thanks

  • Avatar: The Way of Water(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Alita: Battle Angel(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Western Stars(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Maggie's Plan(2015)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Beyond Glory(2015)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Avatar(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Solaris(2002)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Titanic(1997)

    Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • HARDtalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • HBO First Look (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Executive Producer · as Self

  • Dick Tracy(1990)

    Co-Producer · Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Honey, I Shrunk the Kids(1989)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Campus Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Producer

  • Making Mr. Right(1987)

    Unit Production Manager

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Fantastic Voyage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 19 titles, 16 of them dated from 1987 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Avatar (2009)

$2.9B worldwide

Highest rated

Titanic (1997)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 19: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleProducing14 of 19: 11 only producing, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score88thOther crew7 of 19: 4 only other crew, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score60th

19 titles, 3 with more than one role — producing and other crew overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s3 · crew1990s4 · 1 acting · 3 crew2000s2 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s4 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

an Oscar and 2 other major awards from 9 major nominations, 1998–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
  2. 2010
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
  3. 1998
    • Oscar, won · Best Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
      • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Jon Landau's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 86th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 87th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 14 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · producer

Beyond Glory (2015)

72nd percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Titanic (1997)

Midcredits 97th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jon Landau's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles38–65 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles18–57 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles21–55 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles21–36 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles36–70 · median 60 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jon Landau work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jon Landau's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; James Cameron shares the most, 10.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles