Jeremy Thomas, the British producer whose work won the Academy Award for Best Picture with Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1987 epic The Last Emperor, died on Friday at his residence in Oxfordshire, aged 77. His death was confirmed by family members and reported by the BBC and other outlets.
Career highlights
Thomas founded the Recorded Picture Company in 1979 and, over the ensuing four decades, oversaw more than 80 feature films. His early triumph with The Last Emperor was followed by a string of bold, internationally minded projects, including the crime drama Sexy Beast, the provocative ensemble piece Crash, and the visually striking Mr. Huang’s Dream. In recent years he remained active on the festival circuit, producing Luca Guadagnino’s documentary on the Ita project and the Venice‑premiered thriller Bucking Fastard, while his upcoming crime drama Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo was slated to open the next week, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Legacy and tributes
Industry figures described Thomas as a rare blend of old‑school studio authority and independent‑spirit curiosity. The Guardian characterized him as “a cross between a kindly Cambridge don and the movie world’s cool uncle,” noting his confidence as a studio head coupled with a cineaste’s love for daring storytelling. Variety called him a “rebel with taste” and said his “canon of work is unmatched,” reflecting the broad admiration he earned across Hollywood and European art houses.
“He was a rebel with taste, a filmmaker full of stories whose canon is unmatched,” Variety reported.
Tributes poured in from directors, actors and fellow producers. Luca Guadagnino, who had collaborated with Thomas on multiple projects, called him “a mentor who never stopped believing in the power of imagination.” Cronenberg, whose early horror films Thomas helped finance, said Thomas “always trusted the director’s vision, even when it scared the studios.” The BBC noted that his willingness to back unconventional voices had reshaped the British independent landscape.
Thomas’s partnership with world‑renowned auteurs defined his reputation. He produced Bertolucci’s historical sweep, Cronenberg’s body‑horror explorations, and later worked with Werner Herzog on the ambitious yet unfinished “Bucking Fastard.” His willingness to cross cultural and linguistic borders brought projects such as the Japanese‑set Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo to Western audiences, illustrating his commitment to global storytelling.
Beyond his filmography, Thomas was celebrated for nurturing emerging talent. He championed first‑time directors and facilitated co‑productions that bridged British financing with European artistic sensibilities, a model that many contemporary producers now emulate. His influence is evident in the continued vitality of the UK’s independent sector, which still relies on the financing structures he helped pioneer.
Colleagues described Thomas as both a “kindly Cambridge don” and the “cool uncle” of the movie world, underscoring his reputation for generosity and mentorship. His ability to balance the commercial demands of large‑scale productions with the aesthetic freedoms of auteur cinema earned him a unique place in the industry’s history.
Jeremy Thomas’s passing marks the end of an era for a generation of filmmakers who benefited from his daring investments and unwavering belief in cinematic risk‑taking. As festivals and studios reflect on his contributions, his legacy endures in the diverse, boundary‑pushing films that continue to bear his imprint.
