As 2023 comes to a close, I thought it’d be fun to bring together some of my favourite posters from across the year. Picking just ten was pretty hard! This year has been a stylish one for poster art and it feels like there has been a much more experimental approach than we would often see in the mainstream. So, in no particular order…
They Cloned Tyrone
I’m a big fan of this poster! It really leans into a pulpy blaxploitation aesthetic – whilst offering up a fun visual twist that perfectly captures the tone and storyline of this off-beat mystery caper.
Poster design by GrandSon. Poster illustration by Mike Thompson
The Boys in the Boat
I love the warm, dusky atmosphere of this one. Very understated and classy which suggests high production values and great acting. The glow of sunlight in the distance conveys a sense of hope and fits in perfectly with the inspirational story behind the film.
Poster design by The Refinery
The Creator
This one really feels like an amazing piece of art you’d want to hang on your wall. The warmth of the colour palette along with the idyllic landscape piques your interest and implies that this is not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi. The striking framing and the powerful use of negative space give it the breathing room to take it all in. Just lovely!
Poster design by Matt Ferguson
Dead Ringers
This dramatic poster is in complete harmony with the central concept of the series. The twins (both played by Rachel Weisz) are in opposition (right down to the reverse credit of the typography), with the blood red and off-white colour palette and the composition suggesting labour and child birth. The alternate versions of this are cracking too!
Poster design by Territory Studio
Evil Dead Rise
Thanks, I hate it. But also, I kinda love it? It’s creepy and unsettling and you can’t not look at it – mainly cause you don’t want to turn your back on the sinister ‘mummy’. The desaturated tones and awkward crush of bodies evokes a feeling of alienation and hostility. It’s the stuff of nightmares and consequently perfect for a horror!
Poster design by Concept Arts
The Deepest Breath
This poster cleverly communicates the idea of depth and immersion – drawing the eye and imagination of the viewer down with the small figure of the diver. As the diver descends past the enclosing rocks, from light into dark, the text layout pulls you still deeper and deeper down the page. Literally breathtaking!
Poster design by Territory Studio
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
I always enjoy the alternate posters created for IMAX screenings as it often feels the creative brief is a bit more open (no need to feature images of all the cast, for instance, or even make them recognisable), and this is a great example. The horizontal line and strong colour choices conjure up two distinct and divided worlds and the finely detailed imagery keeps you looking after the first glance. And bonus points for truly incorporating the IMAX element!
Oppenheimer
One of the year’s biggest movies also gets one of the year’s best posters. The small, dark and brooding figure of Oppenheimer lost in an inferno of fiery devastation demands your attention and perfectly conveys the themes and the ethical dilemma at the heart of the film.
Poster design by B O N D
Secret Invasion
This poster is a fantastic example of a simple idea executed really, really well. The sliced, fragmented image of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury with just small glimpses of a Skrull underneath sells the paranoid central concept of infiltration and shapeshifting. ‘Anyone could be one of them’.
Poster design by Art Machine
Blue Eye Samurai
An animation as beautiful as this one is needs a poster to match, and that’s what you get here! Vibrant colours paired with a flowing brush-like background texture suggests movement, fire and smoke as well as evoking the setting of Japan’s Edo period with its calligraphic feel.
Poster design by Art Machine
What do you reckon? Which ones did I miss? I’d love to hear other peoples takes on this!
For poster and graphic design services for your latest TV or film project, drop me a line at adam@strelka.co.uk.
