Jason Constantine, co-president of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, died June 3 at his home in Los Angeles after a long battle with brain cancer. He was 55.
Constantine began his career more than 25 years ago at Trimark Pictures, the predecessor company to Lionsgate, where he served as director of acquisitions. He rose through the ranks to become co-president of the Lionsgate motion picture group, overseeing some of the studio’s most successful franchises.
The executive was instrumental in bringing several billion-dollar franchises to the big screen. He was an early champion of “Saw” and pushed for the studio to acquire the project after viewing a brief concept short from then-unknown director James Wan and writer-star Leigh Whannell. The “Saw” franchise has grossed more than $1 billion at the global box office.
Constantine also oversaw the “John Wick” series during his tenure at Lionsgate, which has similarly grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. His work extended to “The Expendables” franchise and numerous other successful films including best picture Oscar winner “Crash,” Lee Daniels’ “Precious,” and Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out.”
Additional films under Constantine’s oversight included “I Can Only Imagine,” “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” “Kick Ass,” “Rambo: Last Blood,” “Angel Has Fallen,” and “Plane.” He also worked on critically acclaimed features such as “The Girl with the Pearl Earring,” “Arbitrage,” “Margin Call,” and “Dear White People,” along with horror films 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 superb creative instincts and his affinity for unique material that generated uncommonly good movies.
Lionsgate described Constantine as embodying the very best of their studio and the film industry. The company stated that his fearless spirit, creative energy and enduring talent relationships would continue to influence many of their most successful franchises. Lionsgate indicated that “his career was built around the principles that a great idea can come from anywhere.”
The studio noted that Constantine believed box office triumphs should be shared by entire teams and that creative choices needed to be bold and daring. Lionsgate extended condolences to his wife Kristin, his three children, and his entire family, describing him as a highly respected executive, trusted partner, and cherished friend.
Australian filmmaker James Wan paid tribute to Constantine, with whom he worked on most of the “Saw” movies. Wan credited Constantine with believing in the “Saw” project and bringing it to Lionsgate before the movie was even shot. The director thanked Constantine for helping transform what began as a student film into a billion-dollar franchise.
Constantine was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of film and maintained detailed knowledge of facts and statistics about the Lionsgate library and other marketplace titles. He was recognized for relentlessly championing new ideas, emerging voices, and original intellectual property that defied conventional wisdom.
Outside of work, Constantine was known for his generous spirit. Each Christmas, he created a model train village in his yard that captured the holiday spirit and touched people beyond his neighborhood community.
A native of California, Constantine earned his bachelor’s 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.
Constantine is survived by his wife Kristin and his sons Lucas, Nicholas, and Xander. The family has established a memorial account for people to send written stories and photographs.
In lieu of flowers, the Constantine family requests donations to fund brain cancer research conducted by his neurosurgeons. Donations can be directed to support Dr. Michael Lim’s research at Stanford Medicine or to fund research by Constantine’s neuro-oncology team at UCLA led by Dr. Tim Cloughesy and Dr. Robert Chong.
