Jason Constantine, co-president of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, died June 3 at his Los Angeles home following a lengthy battle with brain cancer. He was 55 years old.
Constantine began his career more than 25 years ago as director of acquisitions at Trimark Pictures, the predecessor company to Lionsgate. He rose through the ranks to become co-president of the motion picture group, overseeing some of the studio’s most successful franchises and critically acclaimed films.
The executive was instrumental in bringing the “Saw” horror franchise to audiences after pushing Lionsgate to acquire the project following his viewing of a brief concept short from then-unknown director James Wan and writer-star Leigh Whannell. The franchise has since grossed more than $1 billion at the global box office. Constantine also oversaw the “John Wick” series starring Keanu Reeves, another billion-dollar franchise for the studio.
His extensive filmography included work on “The Expendables” franchise, the Academy Award Best Picture winner “Crash” in 2004, and Lee Daniels’ “Precious,” which received five Oscar nominations and won two Academy Awards in 2009. Constantine also worked on Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out,” which became a sleeper hit grossing $312 million globally and earning Oscar nominations.
Additional projects under Constantine’s tenure included the action films “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” “Kick-Ass,” “Rambo: Last Blood,” “Angel Has Fallen,” and the breakout success “Plane.” He also championed critically acclaimed features such as “The Girl with the Pearl Earring,” “Arbitrage,” “Margin Call,” and “Dear White People,” along with horror classics including “Cabin in the Woods” and the Rob Zombie “Rejects” trilogy.
In 2008, Constantine was promoted to President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, reporting to Lionsgate co-COO and motion picture group president Joe Drake. Drake praised Constantine’s exceptional creative instincts and his ability to identify unique material that generated uncommonly successful films.
Lionsgate released a statement describing Constantine as embodying the very best of their studio and the film industry. The company noted that “his influence will continue to be felt in many of our most successful franchises.” The studio emphasized that his career was built around principles that great ideas can emerge from anywhere, box office successes should be shared by entire teams, and creative choices must be bold and daring.
Constantine was known throughout the industry for his encyclopedic knowledge of film facts and statistics, not only about the Lionsgate library but also other titles in the marketplace. He was recognized for relentlessly championing new ideas, emerging voices, and original intellectual property that defied conventional wisdom.
Beyond his professional achievements, Constantine was celebrated for his generous spirit. Each Christmas, he created an elaborate model train village in his yard that captured the holiday spirit and touched people throughout his neighborhood community and beyond.
A native of California, Constantine earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University and his Master of Fine Arts in film production from Loyola Marymount University. During his studies, he wrote and directed two short films: “For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls,” a romantic comedy, and “Ashes,” a drama that won the Producers Guild of America Award for best student short film.
Australian filmmaker James Wan, who collaborated with Constantine on most of the “Saw” movies, paid tribute to the beloved producer by posting photographs of the pair together while expressing his heartbreak over the loss.
Constantine is survived by his wife, Kristin, and his three sons: Lucas, Nicholas, and Xander. The family has established a “boombox” account for people to send written stories and photographs to the Constantine family as remembrances.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to support brain cancer research conducted by Constantine’s neurosurgeons. Contributions can be made to Stanford Medicine to support Dr. Michael Lim’s research, or to UCLA to fund research by Constantine’s neuro-oncology team led by Dr. Tim Cloughesy and Dr. Robert Chong.