‘An Artist of the Highest Order’: George Lucas Reacts to Drew Struzan’s Passing

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The movie world mourned the loss of Drew Struzan, a celebrated artist who passed away on October 13, 2025, at age 78. Even if you didn’t know his name, you’ve almost certainly seen his work on posters for classic films like *E.T.*, *Back to the Future*, and many others.

Following the news of his death, George Lucas, through Lucasfilm.com, honored his longtime colleague. Drew Struzan created movie posters for nearly five decades, working on over 150 films. His work began with the 1978 re-release poster for *Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope*, which he illustrated alongside Charles White III.

Lucas described Drew as a truly exceptional artist. He explained that Drew’s illustrations perfectly conveyed the feeling and energy of each of his films, bringing them to life with vibrant color and imagination in a single image. Lucas felt fortunate to have collaborated with Drew on many projects.

As a huge movie fan, I was really saddened to hear about Drew Struzan’s passing. Kathleen Kennedy from Lucasfilm said something that really resonated with me – when you think of classic movie posters, Drew is the first person who comes to mind. I’ve always been captivated by his work on films like *E.T.*, *Hook*, and the *Indiana Jones* movies. He had a way of creating art that was just magical and beautiful, and it genuinely made going to the movies feel special, even before the film started. It’s work that will last forever, and I know it will continue to inspire artists and movie lovers like me for years to come.

Steven Spielberg Praises Drew Struzman

Steven Spielberg often spoke highly of Drew Struzman, once calling him “my favorite movie artist.” He even felt inspired by Struzman’s work, saying he felt pressure to match the quality of the art Struzman would create for movie posters. Following Struzman’s death, Spielberg remembered him as someone who created more than just posters – he created a feeling and a destination. He noted that simply seeing Struzman’s instantly recognizable, realistic imagery brings back vivid memories of the films and the time in people’s lives when they first saw them, adding that no one could draw like Drew.

Drew Struzan created the iconic posters for the special edition of *Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back* and all three *Star Wars* prequel films, including *The Phantom Menace* and *Attack of the Clones*. He also designed posters for many other popular movies, such as *Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade*, *The Thing*, *Hook*, the *Muppet* films, and *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone*.

Roger Kastel, known professionally as Struzan, began his career as a commercial illustrator in the 1970s, creating album covers for artists like the Bee Gees, Black Sabbath, and Alice Cooper. His death was announced on October 14, 2025, through his official Instagram account.

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2025-10-15 18:10