David Brenner, ACE – who won an Oscar for 1989’s Born on the Fourth of July, one of nine films that he edited for Oliver Stone – died Feb. 17 in Los Angeles. He was 59.

In recent years, he had been working on James Cameron’s Avatar sequels. “I am devastated by the tragic loss of my friend and colleague,” said Stephen Rivkin, ACE. “He was an extraordinary man, who loved  his family and loved his work. He was a great editor with an amazing career. His artistry and commitment to excellence were limitless.

“Working closely with David on the Avatar sequels for nearly five years, he became part of the Avatar family,” he continued. “Our entire crew, both here and in New Zealand, is mourning his passing. His inspired creativity will live on in the many movies he has worked on. His memory will live on in all who knew him, worked with him and loved him. I miss him every day.”

Brenner was also an editor on several movies for Zack Snyder, including Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the 2017 and 2021 versions of Justice League. Said Snyder, “It’s a rare thing to find an artist as talented and kind as David was. His dedication to his craft never caused him to lose compassion for the people he worked with and his commitment to both is what will forever stand out in my memories of David.”

“David’s amazing work speaks for itself,” said Dody Dorn, ACE. “It was an honor to be trusted with his original cut as a jumping off point to complete Zack Snyder’s Justice League. David was generous with his praise for how we brought the film to its final form, a true gentleman.”

Fellow Justice League 2021 editor and former assistant, Carlos Castillón, added, “David’s compassion and kindness was truly infectious. It’s what made him not only a good person but a great mentor. I will forever be indebted to him. He was an inspiration to everyone who was lucky enough to collaborate with him.”

In addition to Born on the Fourth of July – he shared his Oscar with Joe Hutshing, ACE – Brenner worked with Stone on titles including Platoon, Wall Street and The Doors. For Roland Emmerich, Brenner edited several films such as Independence Day, The Patriot and The Day After Tomorrow. His range of work also included films for James Mangold, on Kate & Leopold and Identity; and Rob Marshall, on Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Brenner is survived by his wife, Amber; and three children, Anna, Haider and Sasha.