Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas dies aged 77

Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas, known for films including The Last Emperor and Sexy Beast , has died aged 77, his publicist has said.

A statement to the Press Association confirmed that Thomas "passed away peacefully" surrounded by his family and loved ones at his country home in Oxfordshire on Friday.

Thomas was a celebrated figure in the film industry who worked with international directors including Bernardo Bertolucci, David Cronenberg, and Matteo Garrone through his decades-long career.

His other best-known films included the 1990 drama The Sheltering Sky , starring John Malkovich and Debra Winger, as well as the 2015 dystopian thriller High-Rise , starring Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons.

The British producer carved a name for himself with the mainstream success of The Last Emperor , a 1987 biographical drama film about the life of Puyi, the final monarch of China's Qing dynasty.