By Travis Johnson
Even though we’ve largely switched over to a digital marketing model, the venerable film poster still holds sway as the most iconic form of movie advertising around. Sure, they’re not all wall-worthy, and the current dominance of Photoshop means there’s plenty that look like the work experience kid banged ’em out on a Friday afternoon, and the occasional design trend/rut can leave a lot to be desired (remember this?), but every year there’s a slew of beautifully designed works that leave the discerning consumer wondering how to make more space on the walls of their domicile. And here they are.
10. Baby Driver
Edgar Wright’s none-more-cool musical heist flick was presaged by a minimalist piece of design that hinted at its hipness while not giving anything else away.
9. Wonder Woman
The first female-led superhero film from the Big Two demanded – and got – an iconic AF poster.
8. John Wick: Chapter 2
2014’s John Wick instantly ascended to the pantheon of all-time great action movies. 2017’s follow up needed to take it to the next level, and this poster promises exactly that, with Keanu’s steely mug staring out at us, surrounded by a ring of high-calibre death.
7. Coco
Pixar’s latest offering was heralded by this beautiful piece, which manages to be both vibrantly colourful and shadowy at once, perfectly capturing the film’s musical underworld setting.
6. Alien: Covenant
…shame about the movie.
5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
the GotGv2 promo game was on point, and the film’s black and white tribute to the cover of The Ramones classic Rocket to Russia album nearly made the grade, but it’s this playful riff on the series’ cheesy-cool ’70s/’80s aesthetic that won our hearts.
4. Blade Runner 2049
Following one of the most visually striking films of all time is no mean feat, but Denis Villeneuve’s long lead sequel delivered. This subtle poster took familiar elements from Ridley Scott’s original – the car, the smoke, the long coat – and recontextualised them, promising something at once both familiar and new – which is, in the end, what we got.
3. Thor: Ragnarok
New Zealand director Taika Waititi’s ingress into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was an explosion of colour and laughter, and this beautiful poster encapsulates that perfectly, promising a vibrant, space-spanning epic.
2. Logan
How to tell the entire story in a single image.
1. mother!
Any one of mother!’s extraordinary promo posters could have taken the top slot, but it’s this image of Jennifer Lawrence holding her own blood-drenched sacred heart that resonates the most: at once beautiful, transgressive, and blasphemous.
