Which will always be baffling to me because not only has he not made a good movie in like 31 years, or anything of particular relevance for 31 years, but his negligence also got two children and an adult actor killed in a horrific accident that could've been avoided.
Why he would have any clout at all at this point is completely beyond me. I would've distanced my ass from him like Spielberg did as soon as the truth about the Twilight Zone situation came out.
Not surprising to see Max pop up again though, I figured he would have to go a route like this though, there's no way he's getting his previous prominence back, if you could call it that. Pretty sure his reputation is thoroughly thrashed at this point, and there's quite a few Hollywood people that seem to be outspoken enough to make sure that he doesn't slip back into the limelight unnoticed. Seems like his career was indeed hurt.
I don't know anything about John Landis's particular situation, but perhaps this can help with your bafflement.
John Landis made some of the biggest movies in Hollywood. You can't do that without having the right connections. Connections are power in Hollywood. John Landis's name may be mud after the fatal incident, but that's only if his name is spoken loudly in public.
Let's say that you're some rookie writer/director who would like to make a great movie using this idea that you have, and you hope that maybe if it's good enough Disney will see you and you'll get to make the next Marvel movie. LOL, fat chance. Your best bet is to film your friends using your smartphone and upload your home movies to Youtube.
But now let's say you met John Landis. "Oh, you want to make a Hollywood movie? Okay, first up you need to go talk to this guy and this guy and this guy. Normally these people would laugh and tell you to get lost, but if you tell them I sent you, they'll give you 20 minutes to hear your pitch. Here's how you make your pitch."
And now that you've made it big and are making those Marvel movies, John Landis owns you. Oh sure, you don't actually give a damn about him, and you sure as hell won't do anything unsavory for that asshole, so there's no way he "owns" you, but maybe one day some kid comes along and he says "John Landis sent me." Ehhh... he looks like a good kid. Maybe you should hear him out. John Landis
does have a pretty good eye for talent, and if this kid's going places, it'd be nice to get in with them on the ground floor. It's got nothing to do with John Landis. Fuck John Landis. You're just gonna give this kid 20 minutes of your time and listen to his idea.
That's a possible way for John Landis to wield influence, even 31 years after his last movie.
And considering that Max Landis is apparently now selling himself as a "consultant", it's probably not far from the truth.