Drew Struzan, the iconic movie poster artist behind Star Wars, Blade Runner and Back to the Future, has died at the age of 78.
His passing comes several years after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and stepped out of the spotlight.
The devastating news was announced by his brother Greg Struzan on his official Instagram account on Tuesday.
‘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,’ Greg wrote in a statement. ‘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.’
The American illustrator, beloved by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, created more than 150 film posters over his career, including ones for The Shawshank Redemption, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones franchise and Harry Potter.
For nearly four decades, he made a name for himself with his bold style and use of color that helped entice audiences to make their way to the box office.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg famously described Struzan as his ‘favorite movie artist’ and admitted to feeling pressure to ‘live up to the art that’ he would ‘ask Drew to create for the poster.’
Drew Struzan, the iconic movie poster artist behind Star Wars , Blade Runner and Back to the Future, has died at the age of 78 (pictured in 2008)
The American illustrator, beloved by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, created more than 150 film posters over his career, including the Indiana Jones franchise and Harry Potter
