Renowned Movie Poster Artist Drew Struzan Passes Away
On October 13, 2025, the celebrated artist Drew Struzan, known for his evocative movie posters, passed away at the age of 78 after a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
The announcement of Struzan’s death was shared on his Instagram account, stating: “It is with great sadness that we announce Drew Struzan’s departure from our world as of yesterday, October 13th. His joy was immense in knowing how much his artwork was cherished by you all, and he wanted me to convey that sentiment to every one of you.”
Struzan’s contributions to cinema were monumental, particularly through his iconic posters for major movie franchises such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, and Back to the Future. His work not only captured the essence of these films but also left a lasting impression on countless fans across multiple generations.
“I had to almost live up to the art that we later were going to ask Drew to create for the poster,” Steven Spielberg once remarked, underlying the impact of Struzan’s art on filmmaking.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in 1947 in Oregon, Struzan first gained attention with his album cover designs for famous musical acts like the Bee Gees, Alice Cooper, and Black Sabbath. His unique style soon caught the eye of Hollywood, marking the beginning of an illustrious career in the movie industry.
According to Slash Film, Struzan’s transition to movie poster art was seamless: “For an artist who thrived on the macabre and cosmic fantasies of 1970s music scenes, Struzan dovetailed perfectly into a Hollywood that was gearing up for a new era of blockbuster sci-fi adventures and action-packed serials.”
Struzan’s journey in Hollywood escalated from designing posters for 70s B-movies like Food of the Gods and Empire of the Ants to his breakthrough with the 1978 re-release of Star Wars, where he illustrated the human figures.
A Legacy of Iconic Posters
Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Struzan created some of the most memorable posters in film history. His portfolio includes artwork for E.T. the Extraterrestrial, Blade Runner, The Thing, Shawshank Redemption, and many others such as Big Trouble in Little China, The Goonies, and even the comedic Police Academy series.
He also crafted the visuals for Guillermo del Toro’s first two Hellboy films and the critically acclaimed Pan’s Labyrinth.
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When discussing his approach to creating movie posters, Struzan told Los Angeles Magazine in 2014, “If you want a story, go see the movie. It’s about evoking the feeling rather than detailing the plot.”
As we remember Drew Struzan’s remarkable contributions to the art of movie posters, we invite you to share your favorite works of his in the comments below.
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