George Lucas and Steven Spielberg honour late Drew Struzan, dead at 78

Famed for his 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones' posters, Struzan passed away at 78 after battling Alzheimer's disease

American illustrator Drew Struzan, best known for his detailed hand-painted posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, died aged 78 on October 13.

His death was confirmed on October 14 by his manager Greg, who wrote, “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 revealed that he had been battling Alzheimer’s Disease, describing him as “a force of nature” whose creative flame “never waned.”

Struzan’s career defined the visual identity of modern cinema. His meticulously hand-painted posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, E.T., The Goonies, Blade Runner and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone became timeless cultural touchstones.

After completing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008, he retired, later returning for select projects including Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and How to Train Your Dragon (2019).

In March this year, his wife shared that Struzan could no longer paint due to Alzheimer’s. Following his death, leading filmmakers paid tribute.

Steven Spielberg said, “Drew made event art. His posters made many of our movies into destinations … and the memory of those movies always comes flashing back just by glancing at his iconic photorealistic imagery.”

George Lucas called him “an artist of the highest order” whose work “captured the excitement, tone and spirit” of his films.

Guillermo del Toro described him as “a genius communicator and a supreme artist,” while DC’s Jim Lee hailed him as “a giant among giants.”

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