Artist Drew Struzan May Come Out Of Retirement For Star Wars: Episode VII
This article is more than 2 years old
For a while there, the language barrier here at GFR was slowly drifting away from English and we were in danger of speaking only in “Star Wars: Episode VII Rumor.” But then the cast was announced and production recently began, and now our brain-tongues have readjusted back to our natural speaking patterns. But wait! Conflicting with reports from last year, the incredibly genius artist Drew Struzan may indeed be coming back to the Star Wars universe to design Episode VII‘s poster after all! Unless, of course, he doesn’t. As for the news’ authenticity, we’re drawing a blank.
According to the team at SchmoesKnow, whose source is said to be close with Struzan, director J.J. Abrams put out a personal request for Struzan to design what will undoubtedly be the greatest movie poster of 2014 and/or 2015. And Struzan, who professionally retired from the movie poster game some years back, has reportedly agreed to return. If this is true, it means fans have yet another iconic feature to connect all the trilogies together. Plus, Struzan’s work ages a lot more gracefully than some of the returning cast members. Of course I’m talking about R2-D2 and not Carrie Fisher. You guys!
Anyway, this potentially amazing news first came up at the beginning of last year, when Disney reached out to Struzan, who later declined the offer. For a hint as to why everyone is all hot in the biscuit to get this guy involved, Struzan is globally renowned for being the guy who created the prequel trilogy’s warmly striking posters, as well as the first trilogy’s reissue posters. He’s also responsible for the art of nearly every good movie in the 1980s and early 1990s. Shall we go through the list?
And now we have all the Back to the Future posters.
He was particularly good at making Harrison Ford look like a hero in the Indiana Jones posters and in this dreary (but awesome) Blade Runner one sheet.
We are really, really hoping this news ends up getting confirmed by Struzan and Abrams soon. Otherwise, we’ll probably end up seeing something Photoshopped like the poster for Abrams’ last movie.
But it’s still nice that Abrams (allegedly) reached out to Struzan himself, rather than having everything go through secretaries. Abrams recently passed on a slightly inspiring handwritten note to his Episode VII cast and crew, reminding them that everyone is waiting on this movie, and that it should be great. Maybe that last part was me paraphrasing. Here’s the letter below.
For more about Struzan’s amazing career, check out the documentary Drew: The Man Behind the Poster.
