Chronological coverage updated 12th September 2026 17:32.
Update 1 · 12th September 2026
Oscar-Winning Film Producer Jeremy Thomas Dies Aged 77
British film producer Jeremy Thomas, whose prolific career in independent cinema spanned five decades, has died at the age of 77.
BBC News reportedly quoted Publicist (Official spokesperson for Jeremy Thomas) as saying: “passed away peacefully”.
Born in London, Thomas began his film industry career as an editor before stepping into producing with the 1976 Australian feature Mad Dog Morgan. Over the subsequent decades, he built an international reputation for backing bold independent visions alongside mainstream successes.
Academy Award Success and Directorial Collaborations
His crowning commercial and critical achievement came with Bernardo Bertolucci's 1988 biographical epic The Last Emperor. The drama, depicting the final monarch of China's Qing dynasty with a cast featuring Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, and Vivian Wu, went on to win nine Academy Awards, earning Thomas the Oscar for Best Picture.
Thomas maintained an enduring creative partnership with Bertolucci, producing several subsequent titles including The Sheltering Sky, Little Buddha, Stealing Beauty, and The Dreamers.
A Prolific Career Across Five Decades
Beyond his work with Bertolucci, Thomas collaborated with visionary directors across international cinema. His notable credits included Nagisa Oshima's Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence starring David Bowie, David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method and Crash, Nicolas Roeg's Bad Timing and Eureka, Jonathan Glazer's Sexy Beast, and Ben Wheatley's High-Rise.
Recognition for his influence on global film came in 2006 with the European Film Academy's award for Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema, followed by a CBE in the 2009 New Year Honours. Prior to his death, he completed Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo with Japanese director Takashi Miike.
- Jeremy Thomas produced iconic independent films across five decades, earning an Oscar for Best Picture in 1988.
