Iconic film poster artist Drew Struzan has died, aged 78.
Struzan’s death was confirmed on social media via his manager and family yesterday (October 14). His manager Greg wrote that the artist had passed the day before: “It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that Drew Struzan has moved on from this world as of yesterday, October 13th. I feel it is important that you all know how many times he expressed to me the joy he felt knowing how much you appreciated his art.”
His family wrote in a separate post, revealing that he had lost a battle to Alzheimer’s Disease: “Drew was a force of nature. Like a whirlwind, he could not be stopped nor tamed nor manipulated. His power never waned. This disease, this particular disease, took the wind out of him. He could no longer speak his language out loud. We respected this tenacity, his ability to hold on to the fire within that continued to rage.”
“Daily he tended the flame reviewing the paintings of those he long admired. Van Gogh. Gauguin. Cézanne. The Impressionists who fought diligently against the status quo. It was our honor to nurture that glow. Please take a moment to reflect on what he brought to you. Life should be full of love and beauty.”
Struzan was best know for his intricately hand-painted and drawn posters for iconic films such as the original six Star Wars films and the Indiana Jones franchise. Other similarly renowned films that utilised his artistic posters included Back to the Future, The Goonies, The Shawshank Redemption, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, Blade Runner, Big Trouble in Little China, Coming to America, First Blood, Hellboy, The Thing and the American poster for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
After completing the artwork required for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Struzan announced his retirement on September 2008. He would come out of retirement thrice: in 2012, 2015 and 2019.
For his 2012 return, he collaborated with Mondo for a cover of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. 2015’s return saw him design posters for the 2015 documentary Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around The World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His final return in January 2019 saw Struzan design three separate posters for the How to Train Your Dragon film trilogy.
In March this year, his wife revealed that Struzan was suffering from Alzheimer’s in a Facebook post: “Drew can no longer paint or sign things for you. He is not enjoying a well-deserved retirement but rather fighting for his life.”
Following the news of his passing, the film industry has paid tribute to Drew Struzan. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, celebrated filmmaker and frequent collaborator Steven Spielberg wrote: “Drew made event art. His posters made many of our movies into destinations … and the memory of those movies and the age we were when we saw them always comes flashing back just by glancing at his iconic photorealistic imagery. In his own invented style, nobody drew like Drew.”
Star Wars creator George Lucas wrote in a statement on the Star Wars website: “Drew was an artist of the highest order. His illustrations fully captured the excitement, tone and spirit of each of my films his artwork represented. His creativity, through a single illustrated image, opened up a world full of life in vivid color… even at a glance. I was lucky to have worked with him time and time again.”
Guillermo del Toro wrote on Bluesky: “The world lost a genial man, a genius communicator and a supreme artist. I lost a friend – beloved Drew.”
The world lost a genial man, a genius communicator and a supreme artist. I lost a friend – beloved Drew.
— Guillermo del Toro (@realgdt.bsky.social) 2025-10-14T19:21:50.034Z
DC president and Batman artist Jim Lee wrote, per THR: “A giant among giants. His work captured the humanity, power and emotion of his subjects in ways not seen since. Thank you for bringing to life all the tentpole moments of my childhood and beyond.”
Marvel artist J. Scott Campbell added: “Very heartbreaking to read this and to wrap my mind around the finality of it all, of an amazing man and the legacy of incredible work. He has left us all with so much beauty to enjoy for generations to come. I know the past few years have been especially difficult and I can only hope that this gives him and all of his loved ones some sense of peace.”
See more tributes below.
RIP to the one of a kind artist, Drew Struzan, who memorialized the boys in a series of magnificent plates from The Franklin Mint.
Posted by The Three Stooges on Tuesday, October 14, 2025
R.I.P. Drew Struzan
Posted by Richard Pryor on Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Legendary artist Drew Struzan was truly one of a kind. He created the instantly iconic posters for some of the most…
Posted by The Muppets on Tuesday, October 14, 2025
We are quite sadden to learn of the passing of Drew Struzan. His impact on the @BacktotheFuture franchise is immeasurable. https://t.co/8wXOUrgY6K pic.twitter.com/Y8MKKg8lVN
— Back to the Future
(@BacktotheFuture) October 14, 2025
When you saw one Drew Struzan illustration, you immediately wanted to see more. You had to consume all of them. He was a Master. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/64SmMIrWqv
— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) October 14, 2025
“Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”
We lost one of the greats. Drew Struzan wasn’t just an artist, he was definitely one of the blueprints. His posters made us feel something before we even saw the movie. He inspired me, and everyone who ever tried to turn imagination into… pic.twitter.com/VE14vIdoKq
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) October 15, 2025
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