Steven Spielberg and George Lucas pay tribute to the “wizard of the poster”

Creator of some of the most iconic visuals in pop culture, artist Drew Struzan died this week at age 78.

He had given a face to the collective imagination. Drew Struzan, legendary poster illustrator Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the future or even Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stonewent out. And the greatest filmmakers pay tribute to him today.

Nicknamed “the magician of the poster”, Struzan had accompanied the greatest successes of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. His brush immortalized Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Goonies, The Thing Or Risky Business. His instantly recognizable style — bold, colorful, heroic — perfectly captured the soul of a film. His compositions, where faces intermingled in an almost mystical light, were true promises of cinema.

Steven Spielberg praised an extraordinary artist in the Hollywood Reporter:

“Drew made event art. His posters transformed our films into destinations… And the memories of these films, and of the age we were when we discovered them, come back to us instantly as soon as we come across his iconic imagery. Nobody drew like Drew.”

George Lucas echoed him:

“Drew was a first-rate artist. His illustrations perfectly captured the enthusiasm, tone and spirit of each of my films. His creativity, through a single image, opened up a world full of life and color. I was fortunate to work with him on several occasions.”

Finally, Guillermo del Toro shared a more personal word:

“The world has lost a great man, a genius communicator and a supreme artist. I have lost a friend — my dear Drew.”