Drew Struzan, the artist behind some of the most iconic film posters in cinema history, has died at the age of 78. His work includes posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, and Harry Potter. The announcement was made on his official Instagram account on 14 October, stating that he passed away on 13 October.
Struzan began his career designing album covers for artists such as the Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, and Earth, Wind & Fire. His cover for Alice Cooper's 'Welcome to My Nightmare' was named one of the greatest ever by Rolling Stone. He transitioned to film posters in the 1970s, initially working on B-movies before creating a secondary poster for the theatrical re-release of Star Wars.
By the 1980s, he was producing around ten posters a year, including designs for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Blade Runner, and The Thing. He often collaborated with Steven Spielberg, creating posters for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Hook, and others. His approach to poster design was to evoke emotion rather than tell the story, a philosophy he outlined in a 2021 interview.
In March 2024, his wife revealed that Struzan had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which prevented him from painting. Tributes have poured in, including from DC Comics chief Jim Lee, who called him 'a giant among giants' and praised his ability to capture humanity and emotion in his work.
