You many not recognize his name, but you 100% know Drew Struzan’s work. The legendary artist made iconic posters for the original Star Wars trilogy, the prequels, Indiana Jones, ET, Back to the Future, The Goonies, Blade Runner, The Thing, Harry Potter, Shawshank Redemption, and many other films dating back to the 70s.
In total, he has made over 150 movie posters.
Today, his wife Dylan shared with us an update on Drew and his failing health due to Alzheimer’s. You can read it below:
Good morning all. I’m Drew’s wife, Dylan Struzan. I come to you with a heavy heart. Several years ago, Drew was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. As you may know, the early stages are a slow progression of forgetfulness. This happens in the brain when the proteins in the neurons begin to fold improperly. They are called tau tangles. Neurotransmitters can no longer transmit a thought. Think of it as a log jam. Forgetfulness is often what we think of when this disease is mentioned, the brain malfunctioning. As the disease progresses, the hippocampus (seat of memory) begins to fail. Think of all the things you learned throughout life, simple things like how to stand (balance), how to walk, how to talk, how to control your bodily functions, how to make decisions, how to do most everything we do. The hippocampus forgets. It has been said this is the most vulnerable organ in the body. I can believe it.
Some doctors believe this disease is reversible. For years, Drew and I have used the protocols that are supposed to, at the very least, arrest the forward momentum of the disease to no avail. His body has continued to decline. He is “still in there” as they say. It seems that specialized brains have an advantage as their knowledge is part of the structure of the brain, not just an add-on stored in the brain. Nevertheless, the loss of coordination of moving the information from the brain to a functional expression short-changes abilities. Drew can no longer paint or sign things for you. He is not enjoying a well-deserved retirement but rather fighting for his life.
He hears all the comments you have left here on these pages. It encourages him. At first he was able to express his thoughts but as time progressed it became infinitely more difficult. I rely on our 60 years of marriage working as a team to remember for him. Jon, who posts many things here, relies on research in the many hours of interviews both written and filmed to fill in Drew’s thoughts. Drew has left a strong legacy of love and joy in the form of his work. It has always been a love letter of sorts. His aim was to make the earth a better place in which to live by creating something beautiful. But like a flower, his season is ending.
I and Jon will continue to curate Drew’s legacy. My vision here is to bring the creative community to the fore. That’s what our live streaming and videos are about. Many creatives sharing their craft with an insider vision of the job Drew was a master at juggling. I hope you spread the word that will help others enjoy true creativity. They call this the humanities because it is something unique to our species. Art is meant to be enjoyed. Drew always wanted his work to be uplifting. From your comments, I believe he has succeeded. It was always his mission to move art forward being deeply influenced by the great artist and his professor at Art Center, Lorser Feitelson who introduced him to Modernism, a period of artistic and literary experimentation that began in the 19th century. It sought to create new ways of expressing ideas. Drew was also influenced by the Impressionists, as you most likely see above all in his art, the vibrance of color. His drawing skills were informed by the likes of Michelangelo and Pontormo and those in the Italian Renaissance, Composition will always be foundational from Cézanne.
The love you send is received with appreciation and often tears of joy. Those of you who have been touched by his work are his legacy. Please keep sharing your thoughts and experiences. It keeps him smiling through these difficult days. Keep remembering for him. ~dylan
Struzan’s approach to his art
Drew Struzan’s approach to crafting his art is rooted in emotional authenticity and a deep connection to the heart of the story being told. According to an interview with Huffpost, Before ever touching a brush, Struzan makes it a point to speak with the creatives to understand the core motivation behind a film — what drove them to spend years of their life creating it. From those conversations, he visualizes the essence of the movie and channels that emotion into a singular image. He describes this as painting ‘the heart of the subject,’ believing that the first idea sparked from that honest interaction is often the purest and most true. His compositions often come to him almost instantly, driven more by instinct and visual response than extensive revision. Even when directors or studios have alternate ideas, he remains flexible, always striving to do the best possible work within their vision, while staying true to the emotional truth of the project.
Struzan is deeply influenced by directors who share his visual sensibility—filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Frank Darabont, and Guillermo del Toro. He praises them for their shared desire to portray beauty, truth, and goodness through cinema. These directors trust Struzan’s instincts and often grant him a high level of creative freedom, leading to some of his most iconic work. In one memorable instance with del Toro, Struzan sketched an idea in just 15 seconds, and del Toro immediately said, “Perfect! Do it!”
George Lucas collaborated with Drew Struzan more than anyone, and when asked why, he said, ‘I don’t like photographs for movie posters. I prefer a painting; they have more quality.’ Steven Spielberg said that ‘Drew is his favorite movie poster artist’. When E.T. was in theaters, Spielberg wouldn’t allow photos of the alien to be used for promotions. He preferred to have his film creature represented by the artwork of Drew.
PCN team extends our sincere well wishes to the Struzan family during this difficult time, along with our deepest gratitude for decades of unforgettable work and exceptional artistry.
Below you can find some of Drew Struzan’s iconic work and check out our film section for more on the latest news.
