The producer died in his home. He had been struggling with Alzheimer’s disease for some time. His wife, Tegan Jones, confirmed the news of his death in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Mercer began his adventure with the film industry in the 1980s. His first job was finding locations for, among others: “Crooked Mirror: Vacation”, “Peggy Sue Got Married” and “The Witches of Eastwick”.
Then he joined the Walt Disney Company, where he worked as a creative producer “Good Morning Vietnam” and “Dead Poets Society”. In the 1990s, he became vice president of Hollywood Pictures, which released “Quiz Show”.
Mercer then began his career as an independent producer. His first film was “Congo”, for which he received a nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award. He achieved his greatest successes thanks to his cooperation with M. Night Shyamalan. By “The Sixth Sense” he was an executive producer, and on the director’s next six films he served as the main producer.
In addition, he also worked at “Jarhead: Marine”, “Snow White and the Huntsman” and “The BFG: Very Cool Giant”. Since 2015, he has headed Lucasfilm Industrial Light & Magic.
“Sam and I started working together when I was in my early twenties. He taught me that culture on set comes from the top. He led with kindness and showed me how to handle pressure with dignity. He was the best big brother I could ever ask for. Everyone Thanks to him, the film set became a family affair, and I tried to create a similar atmosphere during my subsequent productions. He made me laugh and at the same time took care of me. He was like that with everyone,” Shyamalan said about the deceased.
“Working with Sam changed my whole life,” recalled Ricky Staub, a former production assistant. “He showed me that making a film can be a transformative experience for the entire crew, not just a job. What I treasure most are the moments between shoots: lunches, the way he jokingly called me ‘Ricky Bobby,’ late nights when we were alone with spreadsheets.” .