“I had to almost live up to the art that we later were going to ask Drew to create for the poster”– Steven Spielberg
Drew Struzan, the artist whose posters defined the look of modern blockbuster cinema, has died at 78 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Across decades, his work became inseparable from the films themselves, turning movie posters into true art.
Born in Oregon in 1947, Struzan first made his mark designing album covers for artists like the Bee Gees, Alice Cooper, and Black Sabbath, blending fine art skill with a cinematic sensibility.
Hollywood soon took notice, and Struzan moved from B-movies like Food of the Gods and Empire of the Ants to the epic worlds of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, capturing the spirit of adventure and wonder that these directors – George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and others, brought to the screen.
Struzan created the visual identities for classics like E.T., Blade Runner, The Thing, Shawshank Redemption, The Goonies, Hook, Big Trouble in Little China, and Back to the Future, working closely with directors to distill the heart of their stories into a single image.
Even Guillermo del Toro called on him for Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth, trusting Struzan to convey his cinematic imagination before audiences ever saw a frame of the film.
Struzan’s legacy is the magic he captured on paper: the sense of awe and excitement, the human characters brought vividly to life, and the adventure that leapt off every poster.
For generations of fans, his work wasn’t just promotional, it was the first invitation into the worlds of some of the most beloved films in history.
Drew Struzan’s art will continue to inspire, reminding us of the timeless power of a single, unforgettable image.
