David Brenner, an Oscar-winning editor who helmed many films over his 40-year career, died on Thursday, Variety confirms. He was 59. Brenner has edited dozens of films, including Justice League, Independence Day, and Born on the Fourth of July, for which he won an Oscar in 1990. After that win, director Oliver Stone tapped him for nine films, including Platoon, Salvador, Wall Street, Talk Radio, The Doors, Heaven & Earth, and World Trade Center.
“He was an extraordinary editor and a loving, compassionate family man,” the American Cinema Editors, of which Brenner was a member, said in a statement. “In an effort to support David’s family during this terrible time, Lightstorm Entertainment has created this GoFundMe account. More important than any financial assistance this may provide, it’s an opportunity to let his wife Amber and his children Annie, Haider, and Sasha know how many other lives David touched.”
He also shared close industry relationships with other directors like Zack Snyder, for whom he edited Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man of Steel, Justice League, and it is super-sized counterpart Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In a statement to Variety, Snyder said he was “devastated at the loss of my dear friend and collaborator David Brenner. He was a gifted artist and one of the kindest people I have ever known. He will be deeply missed. My heartfelt condolences go to Amber and his children during this difficult time.”
Brenner also edited films for disaster flic director Roland Emmerich such as Independence Day, The Patriot, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012. Emmerich called Brenner “a beloved husband and father, as well as dear and very gifted friend.” His other credits include Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Wanted, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and more.
Brenner was in post-production for James Cameron’s highly anticipated Avatar 2, which is set to release on December 16. He was also tapped for Avatar 3. Jon Landau, the producer for Avatar, created the GoFundMe for Brenner’s family wrote, “For those of us lucky enough to know David, it was not his editorial skills that were most impressive (and they were extraordinary), it was his remarkable compassion for others and the love and commitment he had for his family. David will live in our hearts and memories, and he will forever be a part of our ‘Avatar’ Family.”
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