Jeremy Thomas, the acclaimed independent film producer who won a best picture Oscar for Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor and shaped European cinema across four decades, has died aged 77. He passed away on 11 September 2026 at his country home in Oxfordshire, surrounded by family and loved ones, according to reports from major film outlets.
Thomas embodied a rare combination of old-fashioned studio confidence and artistic integrity. Born on 26 July 1949, he was the son of director Ralph Thomas and nephew of Gerald Thomas, both pillars of British cinema, yet he forged his own path as an independent producer. Rather than trade on family connections, he became known as a meritocratic visionary—part entrepreneur, part kindly Cambridge scholar, part the film world's favourite cool uncle. He backed his own instincts, befriended filmmakers, and pursued projects with dogged determination across years and continents.
The Last Emperor, which gained historic Western access to Beijing's Forbidden City, perfectly encapsulated Thomas's worldview: pioneering, ambitious, intellectually curious, and unabashedly internationalist. The film's 1988 Oscar victory crowned a career already rich with landmark productions. According to entertainment reports, he produced more than 40 films across his lifetime, making him one of Britain's most prominent independent producers.
A catalogue spanning continents and decades
Thomas's filmography reads as a map of world cinema's most adventurous corners. In the 1970s and 1980s, he produced Jerzy Skolimowski's The Shout, Nicolas Roeg's Bad Timing and Eureka, Nagisa Oshima's Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, and Stephen Frears's The Hit. He then moved into the 1990s with Bernardo Bertolucci's The Sheltering Sky and David Cronenberg's Crash, famously laughing off the latter's controversy with characteristic grace. He also directed the well-received drama All the Little Animals in 1998, featuring John Hurt and Christian Bale.
The 2000s saw him champion Jonathan Glazer's Sexy Beast, Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive, Ben Wheatley's High-Rise, and Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins. More recently, he worked with Jerzy Skolimowski again on the black comic satire Good Boy, released in 2025, demonstrating friendships and allegiances that spanned the decades. His role as a vital architect of European independent cinema was acknowledged across the industry following his death.
How did Thomas build such influence?
Thomas possessed what observers described as an expert talent for "getting away with it"—a euphemism for his ability to navigate the treacherous waters between artistic ambition and commercial viability. Self-effacingly charming and quietly spoken in a world of loudmouths, he was hypervigilant for new talent and had an almost preternatural gift for spotting filmmakers before they became household names. He combined the confidence of an old-fashioned studio boss with the soul of a true cineaste, backing projects that others might have dismissed as too risky or too foreign for mainstream audiences.
Those who knew him spoke of his refined manner and his talent for creating intimacy. He was a superb creative flaneur who always raised spirits around him. At film festivals, particularly Cannes, he was famous for what he called his "fishing"—genially holding court at hotel tables, calling over to friends and potential collaborators as they passed, reeling in kindred spirits with warmth and genuine interest. The rosé would flow, conversation would flourish, and Thomas would be forever connecting people and ideas.
What was his recent work?
Thomas remained active until his death. Werner Herzog's Bucking Fastard premiered at Venice just before he passed away, and his final project, Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo, was scheduled for a festival premiere in Toronto on 14 September 2026, mere days after his death, according to entertainment news sources. The film's release underscored his continued commitment to bringing challenging, original work to audiences even in his final months.
Key Facts
- Jeremy Thomas won the Academy Award for best picture as producer of The Last Emperor in 1988, a film that achieved unprecedented Western access to Beijing's Forbidden City
- He produced more than 40 films across four decades, working with directors including Bernardo Bertolucci, Nicolas Roeg, David Cronenberg, Jonathan Glazer, and Jim Jarmusch
- Born on 26 July 1949, he was the son of director Ralph Thomas and nephew of Gerald Thomas, both prominent figures in British cinema
- He was known for his ability to nurture emerging talent and maintain creative friendships across decades, making him a vital figure in European independent filmmaking
- His final film, Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo, was scheduled to premiere at the Toronto festival days after his death on 11 September 2026
