The world of cinematic art lost one of its greatest visionaries on October 13, 2025, when Drew Struzan passed away at 78. His death comes after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, which for years had taken its heavy toll on the artist who gave so many films their visual soul.
For those who were lucky enough to grow up in the 1980s and 1990s, it was impossible not to notice Struzan’s art, as he created so many iconic movie posters that are considered masterpieces by both the industry and the fans.
In March 2025, Struzan’s wife, Dylan, revealed that he had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. She noted that his condition had deteriorated to the point where “he could no longer paint or sign things for fans,” and that he was “fighting for his life.” The disease eventually silenced the brush that had spoken so eloquently for decades.
A tribute from his family posted on Facebook captured the spirit of the man behind the art:
DREW WAS A FORCE OF NATURE.
Like a whirlwind, He could not be stopped nor tamed nor manipulated.
His power never waned.
The disease, this particular disease, took the wind out of him. He could no longer speak his language out loud. We respected the tenacity, his ability to hold on to the fire within that continued to rage. Daily he tended the flame reviewing the paintings of those he long admired. Van Gogh. Gauguin. Cézanne. The Impressionists who fought diligently against the status quo.
Those who asked the viewer to see things differently. To embrace the illusions of life … all the best parts fractured into meaningful bits of beauty. He looked through rose-colored glasses so he could impart to us a better version of life.
That’s what drew people to him. His kindness. His hope. His love of beautiful things.
It was our honor to nurture that glow.
Please take a moment to reflect on what he brought to you. Life should be full of love and beauty.
– The Struzan Family
Struzan’s work reshaped the visual language of Hollywood blockbusters. Over more than five decades, he produced over 150 iconic film posters. Some of his most celebrated works include:
- Star Wars (including his breakthrough poster work for the 1978 re-release)
- The Indiana Jones series
- Back to the Future trilogy
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Blade Runner
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Harry Potter
- The Goonies
- The Thing
- First Blood
- Police Academy
But Struzan’s artistic reach extended beyond cinema. Early in his career, he designed album covers for a wide variety of musicians. Among his most famous music cover works were Black Sabbath’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (for which he was reportedly paid only $250 for a week’s work) and Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare — a cover later celebrated by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest ever.
Filmmakers and fans alike paid tribute after news of his passing broke. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg both honored the artist’s legacy, acknowledging how deeply his visuals shaped their films and the public’s perception of them.
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