Jeremy Thomas, Oscar-winning producer of The Last Emperor, dies at 77

Passing of an independent producer

British film producer Jeremy Thomas died on Friday, September 11, 2026, at his country residence in Oxfordshire at the age of 77. His family announced on Saturday that he passed away peacefully surrounded by relatives and loved ones. Thomas remained active in film production until his death, with his latest collaboration with Werner Herzog, titled Bucking Fastard and starring Rooney and Kate Mara, premiering in competition at the 83rd Venice Film Festival. His final project with Japanese director Takashi Miike, Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo, is scheduled for its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 14. Thomas also appeared in Luca Guadagnino's Venice documentary Joie de Vivre, which focuses on the cinema and life of Bernardo Bertolucci.

“Thomas passed away peacefully at his country home in Oxfordshire late on Friday 11, surrounded by his family and loved ones.”

Early career and company foundations

Born in London on July 26, 1949, Thomas grew up in a cinematic family as the son of director Ralph Thomas and the nephew of Carry On director Gerald Thomas. After leaving school, he entered the film industry through cutting rooms, working as an assistant editor on The Harder They Come, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, and Family Life. He rose to edit Ken Loach's 1973 television short A Misfortune before transitioning to producing in 1974. His first feature producing credit was the 1976 Australian film Mad Dog Morgan, directed by Philippe Mora and starring Dennis Hopper. Thomas then founded the London-based Recorded Picture Company, releasing Jerzy Skolimowski's 1978 horror film The Shout, which won the Grand Prix de Jury at Cannes. In 1998, he expanded into international sales and financing by establishing HanWay Films alongside Peter Watson and Stephan Mallmann.

Bertolucci partnership and Oscar success

The defining commercial and critical triumph of Thomas's career came with Bernardo Bertolucci's biographical drama The Last Emperor. Released in 1987, the production secured access to Beijing's Forbidden City to portray the life of Puyi, China's final monarch. In 1988, the film won nine Academy Awards, earning Thomas the Oscar for Best Picture. The partnership between Thomas and Bertolucci encompassed five features over several decades, continuing through The Sheltering Sky in 1990, Little Buddha, Stealing Beauty, and The Dreamers. In recognition of his body of work, the European Film Academy awarded Thomas the European Film Award for Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema in 2006.

Global auteur collaborations

Across more than five decades, Thomas served as producer or co-producer on over 80 features, supporting independent and international directors. His credits included Nagisa Oshima's 1983 drama Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence starring David Bowie, Nicolas Roeg's Bad Timing and Eureka, and David Cronenberg's 1996 feature Crash. Thomas also produced Jonathan Glazer's debut feature Sexy Beast, Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive, Ben Wheatley's High-Rise, and Matteo Garrone's 2015 fantasy Tale of Tales. In 1998, he directed the drama All The Little Animals, starring John Hurt and Christian Bale. He also reunited with Skolimowski for the 2025 black comedy Good Boy, and his festival career was profiled in Mark Cousins's 2021 Cannes documentary The Storms of Jeremy Thomas.