Remembering Drew Struzan: One of the Most Iconic Film Artists of All Time

Drew Struzan, a towering creative force in the world of illustrated movie posters, passed away in October 2025, following a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s. He was 78.

If you aren’t familiar with the name, you’re likely familiar with his work. From “Star Wars and Harry Potter” to “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Indiana Jones,” and “Back to the Future,”  Struzan created art for films with universal appeal and cult followings. 

To simply say he influenced pop culture for a majority of two generations would be putting it mildly. In this homage, we’ll pay tribute to his legacy through the stories of iconic Drew Struzan film posters. 

Early Life & Struzan’s First Big Break

Struzan was born in Oregon City, where he says he learned how to draw before he could speak. By his teenage years, that claim no longer sounded like an exaggeration, considering he clearly had what many adults spend their lives chasing — discipline, talent, and an unwavering determination to succeed.

This pursuit eventually led him to the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. However, success didn’t follow immediately. A documentary that traces his life — “Drew: The Man Behind the Poster” — reveals that he couldn’t pay tuition and would often get thrown out of class. Struzan was only eating twice a week and would sell his art to peers to afford more classes. He was quite literally the archetype of a starving artist.

Struzan’s break eventually came at a record company, where he was tasked with illustrating the covers for what are now seminal albums. The most prominent of these is probably Alice Cooper’s “Welcome to My Nightmare”, where he depicts the usually glammed-out rockstar wearing a tuxedo. The second most prominent was probably “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” a cover that depicts a man moments before his death.

As his work gained popularity, movie executives began to recognize Struzan’s talent. And then came his first big break, illustrating the poster for the comedy film “Blackbird” (1975). From that point on, Struzan’s name would feature on some of the biggest projects in the world, starting with the original “Star Wars” films all the way until Guillermo del Toro’s “Hellboy” (2004). 

Let’s look at some of his iconic works and the crazy stories behind them. 

“The Thing” (1982) 

It’s rare that a film poster becomes bigger than the movie itself, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a collector who isn’t familiar with Struzan’s “The Thing” movie poster. 

The story goes that Struzan received a call from Universal Studios informing him about John Carpenter’s sci-fi remake of the film. Unlike other projects, Struzan received no stills from the film and had no idea what this fictional alien would look like.

“I couldn’t show an actor or a location or anything. I couldn’t show a monster. So I had to find a way of making nothing into something,” he says in “Drew: The Man Behind the Poster.” 

To make matters trickier, the artist was given just one night to complete the project. The next morning, when the artwork was due to be picked up from his home, Struzan was still adding final touches. He had no choice but to send it to the studio still wet with paint.

The faceless alien, in a heavy parka and thick gloves, and trudging through the snow, almost mirrored what Struzan himself was wearing when the studio called. His wife quickly staged an impromptu photoshoot in the driveway, giving him the reference he needed. Within the next few hours, he had an initial composition ready.

What Struzan eventually created went on to become a masterpiece. The faceless monster was extremely fitting for Carpenter’s version of “The Thing.” The blast of light emanating from behind the creature gives the poster an unsettling feeling of fear, isolation, and horror that even drew the admiration of Guillermo del Toro, the king of the macabre. Till today, this remains one of the most iconic Drew Struzan movie posters. 

“Back to the Future” (1985)

Cut to three years later—Struzan was by now a recognized name in film circles. His work on “Star Wars,” “Blade Runner,” and “The Thing” had established him as a master of the craft. 

He was then approached to create a poster for another celebrated franchise: “Back to the Future.” 

Drew’s iconic painting of Marty McFly stepping out of the DeLorean into a shaft of light is immediately recognizable. It’s a composition that perfectly captures the film’s sense of wonder. The glowing time-travel light, the tentative yet awe-struck stance of McFly — everything about the poster promised adventure.

Since this was the pre-digital days, Struzan had to get creative with his art. Once again, he asked his wife to photograph him “in character” as Marty McFly, rushed the film to a developer, and used the image as a reference for his eventual poster. 

“Harry Potter” (2001)

The last piece of art we’d like to highlight came much later in Struzan’s career. By this point, digital artwork had become a studio default, and commissioning a fully painted poster was increasingly rare. But when it came to Struzan, exceptions were made. When Warner Bros. needed to introduce a beloved literary world to millions of readers, seeing it visualized for the first time, who better than him?

Struzan was tasked with shaping the very first impression of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Children who grew up with the books could hardly wait to see how the film would match their imaginations. The pressure was immense.

And looking back, it’s remarkable how he helped convince the world that this young cast — then mostly unknown — truly were Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the rest.

The artwork itself is quintessential Struzan: Harry stands front and center, wand raised, illuminated by a soft, golden light that instantly evokes wonder. Around him, Struzan weaves the supporting cast — Dumbledore radiating wisdom, Hagrid towering with gentle strength, Hogwarts rising in the mist. Each brushstroke adds texture, giving the poster an almost timeless, illustrated-novel quality.

Why Collectors Chase Struzan Originals

Now, while these are just three prominent examples, they don’t begin to cover just how prolific Drew Struzan was. The complete Struzan poster collection includes “Tarzan,” “The Green Mile,” “Indiana Jones,” and “The Goonies,” among dozens of other iconic titles.

Through it all, Struzan’s greatest achievement was elevating poster art close to the status as direction, production, or sound design. At one point, director Steven Spielberg even suggested he felt compelled to ensure his films lived up to Struzan’s work. As Spielberg himself said, “Nobody drew like Drew.”

So, if you’re a fan of film art or are just starting to build your collection, there’s no better place to start than here. You’ll find many of Struzan’s original artworks and film collections at Film/Art Gallery. Browse now to own a piece of art history.