Marvel’s first assistant director was 52 – The Hollywood Reporter

Jamie Christopher (right) and Rian Johnson on the set of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Courtesy of Lucasfilm

Jamie Christopher, our valued senior assistant director whose work has spanned films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars: The Last Jedi And all eight Harry Potter Movies, Matt. He was 52 years old.

Christopher died Tuesday of heart complications in Los Angeles.

He comes from a filmmaking family – his father was a production manager for Stanley Kubrick Barry Lyndon His mother is a production coordinator – Christopher has risen to become a sought-after member of the studio’s concessions staff and filmmakers, managing and scheduling shoots.

He has worked and developed strong relationships with Rian Johnson, James Gunn, David Yates, and Sam Raimi, among others, and in the process became the second highest-grossing commercial in the industry.

“Jimmy was a good friend, and he loved making movies,” said Johnson, who worked with Christopher The last jedi And Take out the knivessaid in a statement. He loved his staff, and he loved his job, the workflow, and the history. He was truly one of the greats, and this is a heartbreaking loss for everyone who was lucky enough to work with him.

Gunn, who collaborated with Christopher On Guardians of the GalaxyHe added, “Jamie was one of the best in the film industry, let alone in his field. When I first met him, I didn’t know they made ads like him, and he completely changed my perspective on them. I loved him as a friend and collaborator, and will miss his laughter. “I’m sad because I lost him.”

Born in 1971 in Barnet, London, Christopher grew up in England surrounded by the film industry. His father, Malcolm J. Christopher, worked as a production manager for four decades, also supervising films such as Milos Forman’s . Ragtime music (1981), Never say never again (1983) and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991). His mother, Penny Christopher, was a production coordinator at event horizon (1997).

Christopher earned his first career credit for his service in the third post Alien3, a 1992 entry in the science fiction series directed by David Fincher, when he was just 21 years old. Other early credits include Pierce Brosnan’s first James Bond film, golden eye (1995), a classic sci-fi thriller directed by Luc Besson The fifth element (1997) and Brendan Fraser mummy (1999).

Along the way, he became a regular and regular player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and has been working on it recently Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Obsession (2023).

“We are deeply saddened by Jimmy’s passing,” Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige and Louis D’Esposito said in a joint statement. He’s been part of the Marvel Studios team for over a decade, on productions like Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Widow More than that, he was a calming presence behind the camera and a wonderful and supportive crew member on set.

Jimmy first joined Marvel Studios as an announcer Thor: The Dark WorldBecause of his hard work and diligence, he was promoted to Executive Producer Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and coming Fantastic Four. Jimmy was a beloved member of the Marvel Studios family, and he will be sorely missed.

He first collaborated with director Johnson On The last jedi (2017) which brought him back to launch his movie Take out the knives series, with the first film set to premiere in 2019.

Christopher also played a major role in Harry Potter Franchise, serving as first assistant director, or first assistant director: second unit, on all eight films released from 2001 to 2011. Other noteworthy credits included Ron Howard The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Paul Greengrass. Bourne Ultimatum (2007).

Among the survivors is his wife, Carly. their one-year-old son, Killion; and three children, Stella, Teddy, and Phoebe, from a previous marriage.