Marvel AD Jamie Christopher Dead at 52
The frequent collaborator of James Gunn, Rian Johnson, and more was set to executive produce Marvel Studios' upcoming Fantastic Four film.
Jamie Christopher, a frequent collaborator of Marvel Studios and director Rian Johnson, has died. According to initial reports, the assistant director passed away at his home due to heart complications. He was 52.
Along with Johnson, Christopher also frequently worked with James Gunn, David Yates, and Sam Raimi among others. "Jamie was a good friend, and he loved making movies," Johnson said in a statement obtained by THR. "He loved his crew, loved his job, the process of it and the history of it. He was truly one of the greats, and this is a heartbreaking loss for everyone who was lucky enough to work with him."
Gunn added, "Jamie was one of the best in the film business, period, much less in his field. When I first met him, I didn't know they made ADs like him, and he changed my view of them entirely. I loved him as a friend and a collaborator, and I'll miss his laugh. I'm heartbroken to have lost him."
Christopher's first credit came with David Fincher's Alien 3 in 1992. Other credits in the '90s included GoldenEye, The Fifth Element, and The Mummy. Most recently the filmmaker became a key part of the Marvel Studios stable, rising the ranks to executive producer with the outfit's upcoming Fantastic Four reboot.
"We are incredibly saddened by Jamie's passing," Marvel Studios bosses Kevin Feige and Louis D'Esposito offered in a statement. "He has been a part of the Marvel Studios team for over a decade, and on productions like Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Widow and more, he was a calm presence behind the camera and a wonderful, supportive crewmember on set.
"Jamie first joined Marvel Studios as an AD on Thor: The Dark World, and because of his hard work and diligence was upped to an executive producer on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the upcoming Fantastic Four. Jamie was a beloved member of our Marvel Studios family, and he will be dearly missed."
Christopher is survived by his wife Carly, their child Killeon, and three children from a prior marriage: Stella, Teddy, and Phoebe.