The 40 Best Movie Posters You Should Check Out
Picture this: A cascade of color, drama, and intrigue rolled into a single sheet that seizes your gaze and won’t let go. That’s the power of the best movie posters; they’re not just paper and ink. They are storytelling canvases beckoning us into cinematic worlds.
Within this realm, every crease holds a story, each image a doorway to another reality.
Film art isn’t just adornment for theater lobbies; it’s the siren call of unforgettable adventures and characters that become etched in our memories.
As the curtain lifts on our exploration, get ready to dive into the allure of collectible posters and their uncanny ability to capture the essence of epic tales.
By the finale of this write-up, you’ll have a front-row seat to the craftsmanship behind iconic cinematic prints and a keen eye for the timeless dance of typography and imagery that makes a movie poster genuinely legendary.
Expect to unfold the layers of compelling poster design, discover hidden gems in the world of movie memorabilia, and appreciate the nuance of film promotion materials.
We collected several of the best movie posters
Metropolis (1927)
One of the old movie posters which is one of the best 1920 movie posters, is the 1927 Metropolis. Only four of them exist and this iconic movie poster was valued in 2012 and reached more than $1 million. The designer of silent movie posters like Metropolis used a font that is close to a century old, yet the ideas were strong enough to be relevant today.
Wonder Woman
As one of the most famous movie posters, the redesign of Wonder Woman features a minimalist design of a woman who you can identify as a woman of power. The W remains the main element and the designer didn’t take anything away from the main protagonist who is the Wonder Woman.
The Rocketeer (1991)
The 1991 Rocketeer is another minimalist design using art deco. It is direct and elegant and while the movie wasn’t as great, moviegoers could identify the poster through the art and design work.
Jaws
Jaws is one of the most iconic movie posters and audiences know immediately what awaits them when they see the movie poster. The exaggerated size of the shark with its massive mouth and teeth with the human swimming unaware at its top is terrifyingly real. Roger Kastel is the designer of the poster as well as the book cover for the book that preceded the movie.
Oblivion
When you see the poster for Oblivion featuring Tom Cruise, you immediately identify with a lone man’s rebirth, isolation, and loneliness. Everything is captured brilliantly in the poster. It is a graphic poster while it is strikingly simplified.
The ‘Empire Strikes Back’
The best posters of all time have always included the posters for the Star Wars franchise. You will immediately recognize a Star Wars poster and the Empire Strikes Back is another good example of one of the most iconic film posters.
Vertigo (1958) poster
Vertigo is an iconic movie poster that stood the test of time. Saul Bass who is legendary for his Hollywood designs is the creator of the poster for the Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller. Any viewer can identify the poster with the movie. It disorients and draws viewers at the same time, and it combines simplicity and complexity at the same time.
Casablanca
One of the cool old movie posters is that of Casablanca which is a black and white simplicity, featuring the main characters Paul Henreid, Ingrid Bergman and Humphry Bogart in the foreground and other undiscerning characters to the back. Simplistic with only the title bringing in a shot of color.
The Walk
The Walk is based on the true story of a tight-rope walker. It follows the walk that Frenchman Philippe Petit accomplished by walking between the World Trade Center towers. There are two designs, the original and a remake.
This first show the towers with a thin line far above while the latest clearly show a frontal view of the tight rope walker on the rope between the buildings. The latest is a far more minimalist design and appears to be the favorite.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
This is one of the classic Hollywood posters and it was issued with 1982, a remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The original poster was much simpler. The image of Harrison Ford as leader of the Raiders with a whip slung over his shoulder has an old-world feel to it that captures the movie brilliantly.
Anatomy of A Murder
Due to its simplicity while it clearly shows what the movie is about made Anatomy of a Murder one of the best movie posters of all time. It is no wonder as it comes from one of Hollywood’s top designers, Saul Bass. It makes the list of cool old movie posters with an animated body in pieces with simplified colors and fonts.
Mean Streets (1973)
Another one of the best movie posters that indicate what the movies are about is the poster for the 1973 movie, Mean Streets. A smoking gun against the city skyline is a clever design that captures the essence of the Martin Scorsese film.
The Thing
One of the best movie posters from top designer Drew Struzan. It is an iconic movie poster, hitting the proverbial nail on the head as moviegoers can feel otherworldly energy pouring from the mirror face of the Thing.
The decision to leave the Thing as a mystery figure without identification was a great move from the designer. Something few people realize is that the picture is actually a photograph of the designer in a snowsuit and adjusted with its terrifying mirror face. An uncomplicated design that works perfectly.
Arrival
The Arrival is about aliens entering earth’s atmosphere. Their message to humanity is impossible to decipher. Originally the poster showed the three main characters, helicopters and the spaceship, while the latest is a minimalist design that shows the message as a smoke circle and the space ship.
Blade Runner (1982)
A classic movie poster is the Blade runner from designer John Alvin. It is a hand-painted illustration which has been a favorite decades ago. It has been popular to combine hand-drawn elements into movies with fantastical elements. It is a combination of sci-fi imagery with a futuristic city, plenty lines of light to create a falling effect and Sean Young and Harrison Ford’s faces.
The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo is excellent as it is clinical, cold, elegant and sleek making it one of the coolest posters of all time. Since it is a popular book too, viewers will be able to identify the minimalism of the poster with the story.
Gone with The Wind
One of the best movie posters which is a clear example of what classic Hollywood posters contain is that of Gone with The Wind. The original movie was released in 1939 and it encapsulates the sheer drama, fire, and passion it deserves.
While this current poster captures all of that, the original designer only had the two main characters kissing with a white background behind them. This iconic is a classic remake from a designer that used the inspiration of the story behind the characters.
When you compare the original movies poster to the updated, your eyes are immediately drawn to the classic movie poster which was redesigned in 1968.
Borat
The initial poster of Borat shows him visiting America with his suitcase and the American flag, however, the second poster which is the remake is one of the coolest movie posters. With the pink background and green shape over the top, it might look weird, but it depicts Borat wearing a mankini in the USA on a beach. Beautiful and minimalist are great ways to describe it.
Moon
You might get dizzy if you stare at the poster for the Moon too long and here is another perfect example of one of the coolest movie posters that capture the story. The protagonist in the story is cloned constantly, and it is brilliantly done with the seemingly endless growing rings in which he stands like a lone moon man.
Other designers might have thought to draw zillions of little Sam Rockwell’s on the movie poster. But the rings and Sam standing on his one is simply brilliant.
More great movie posters
As you would notice with the best movie posters that we collected, these posters add credibility to the storyline and are how audiences are attracted.
The Shining (1980)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Night School
Alien (1979) – my favorite of these best movie posters
Antichrist (2009)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Lord of War (2005)
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Isle of Dogs
The Social Network (2010)
Summer of ’84
The Parallax View (1974)
The Jungle Book
Pulp Fiction
The Shape of Water (2017)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Under The Skin
First Blood
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Iron Man
FAQ on movie posters
What makes a movie poster iconic?
Here’s the scoop: an iconic poster nails the visual punch. Think dynamic composition, bold colors, and an instant knack for capturing the film’s vibe. It’s all about striking poses, clever twists on classic movie art, and face-melting designs that stick in your mental gallery.
How can you tell if a movie poster is original?
Dive in. Check the paper quality, printing details, and studio markings. Originals from the golden age, they’re like limited edition prints—often marked with specific symbols. The key? Know your stuff, or hit up a pro specializing in film promotion materials and vintage movie posters.
Where can I find rare movie posters?
Start your treasure hunt at specialized auctions. Mingle with collectors, keep tabs on movie poster auctions, and scout online marketplaces. Comic cons, antique shops, and poster galleries? Gold mines. Find those places where movie memorabilia whispers your name, and dig in.
Are reprinted movie posters worth anything?
Depends. A reprint could be worth a good chunk of change if it’s got artistic cred. But let’s be real, they won’t rake in as much as original movie posters. Still, they’re accessible slices of film history, dress up a wall real nice without breaking the bank.
What are some tips for framing and displaying movie posters?
Light is your frenemy—too much and it’s fade city. Go UV-protective glass. Keep it cool, dry, and shake hands with poster preservation. Presentation? All about that poster design—complement it, don’t compete. A movie poster frame can make or break it, so choose wisely.
Who are some famous movie poster artists?
Legends like Drew Struzan and Saul Bass—they brought the thunder with iconic film art. Mastery of the image, heroes and villains in a tango on cinematic prints. Each piece, a buffet for the eyes, tells you the whole story in a single glance.
How do movie posters contribute to the film’s marketing?
Posters, they’re the silent barkers of the film world—the tease, the allure, the whisper of film genre posters. When you see a slammin’ poster, it’s like the movie’s already begun in your head. It’s step one in a film’s march to become a box office hit.
What are the standard movie poster sizes?
One-sheets, they’re the bread and butter—27×40 inches of tantalizing glory. Half-sheets, bus stop displays, the bigger-than-your-bedroom IMAX editions? They’re all part of the movie poster sizes ensemble, each with its stage to shine on.
How have movie posters changed over the years?
Once, it was all paint and brushwork, classic movie art meeting film. Now? Digital’s the new kid. The essence? It sticks. A wild blend of past and future—sci-fi movie posters meshing with traditional film advertising. Poster artists keep pushing boundaries, even as the tools evolve.
Can movie posters be considered art?
Absolutely. Museum-worthy slices of culture, if you ask me. Posters are these vivid, punchy snapshots, cult movie posters or mainstream blockbusters alike—they reflect our dreams, fears, all of it. They’re mirrors of the times, man. Art? Yeah, they tell our story.
Conclusion
So there we are, at the end of this reel. Wrapped up our stroll down the technicolor lane of best movie posters. There’s a certain magic, right? Those singular sheets that snag our eyes in the lobby and stick in our brains long after.
- The way a vintage movie poster whispers nostalgia,
- Or how a modern blockbuster film poster shouts epic.
It’s clear now, posters are way more than placeholders. It’s the film genre posters echoing the heartbeats of stories waiting to be told.
Placed side by side, these iconic prints—from sci-fi movie posters to indie splashes—compose a visual symphony, each note perfectly pitched to catch our fancy. They’re bits of film advertising evolved into collectible art, cult movie posters that transform spaces into galleries.
Remember, each one is a tribute. A memento to film, art, and the timeless dance of visual storytelling. Now, go on—make some wall space and let those posters do the talking.
If you enjoyed reading this article about the best movie posters, you should read these as well:
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Bogdan Sandu, a seasoned designer with 15 years of diverse experience, has been designing websites since 2008.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
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