Remembering A Hollywood Legend

Drew Struzan may not have been a household name, but everyone knew his work. He was the man behind the painted worlds that defined generations of movie-going. Struzan, who passed away yesterday at 78, created the iconic posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, E.T., Blade Runner, The Goonies, First Blood, The Thing, The Muppet Movie, Hook, The Shawshank Redemption, and even Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. If you have ever walked through a theater lobby in the last 40 years, you’ve seen his art.

His posters weren’t just marketing; they were storytelling. Using pencil, acrylic, and airbrush, Struzan captured the emotion, light, and adventure of every frame in a single image. Luke Skywalker’s heroic pose, Indy’s whip-snap grin, Marty McFly glancing at his watch beside the DeLorean, all were born from his imagination before audiences even saw the films.

Beginning in the 1970s, Struzan became Hollywood’s go-to artist, his style instantly recognizable: painterly faces, warm glows, and cinematic drama that digital design could never replace. Directors like George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, and Guillermo del Toro all called him their favorite collaborator.

Though technology and trends shifted, Struzan’s work remained timeless, reminding us that movies are more than pixels and posters are more than advertisements. They’re promises of adventure, emotion, and escape. Drew Struzan didn’t just paint movie posters; he painted memories. And even though the man is gone, the magic he put on paper will live on every theater wall and every fan’s heart forever.

Doug O’Brien