Are you looking for the most famous movie posters ever? We look at the most iconic movie posters from the history of film. How many of these cool movie posters do you recognise?
Some of the most iconic movie posters have changed film history, affecting our perception of cinema. Film posters are more than just marketing materials; they are iconic images designed to encapsulate the film's title and aesthetic for audiences to understand before watching the final product.
Join us as today we look back at the most iconic movie posters throughout time.
Most Iconic Movie Posters of All Time
Jaws (1975)
Quite possibly, the most iconic image of all original movie posters is Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic 'Jaws'.
This terrifying image of a shark on the poster shows the audience exactly what they're getting into, striking fear into everyone before they watch the film, and deserves a top place for one of the best movie posters of all time on our list.
The Exorcist (1973)
As horror film posters go, one of the most magnificent pictures is 1973's 'The Exorcist, directed by William Friedkin.
In a clever way, the design of Max Von Sydow's character 'Father Merrin' arriving outside Linda Blair's window has become a famous scene and sparks an uneasy feeling as one of the greatest movie posters.
Vertigo (1958)
The late Saul Bass was responsible for the unique design and created some of the best film posters of all time during his life.
The Shining, The Man With The Golden Arm and Anatomy of A Murder, are among his more notable ones, with Vertigo being quite possibly the most iconic poster from his repertoire.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Vertigo's themes are about cyclical obsession and death's juxtaposing nature, and this original poster summarises that idea in a single image.
Star Wars (1977)
George Lucas's 'Star Wars' is a unique movie poster design featuring the iconic logo amidst a looming figure of Darth Vader.
The Star Wars franchise, of course, continued on for many years as various motion pictures, but this iconic poster kickstarted the series.
This is a great example of how combining some of the world's greatest illustrators (as the poster emulates John Carter's adventure novels') with an arresting image can create a great movie poster.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Another one of the only posters to feature the film's logo and a simple black background, 'Ghostbusters' is one of the most iconic posters from the 1980s.
The idea behind the film is simple, show the audience what ghostbusters do; an easy task. Due to that idea, the advertising for the film features a ghost and a no-entry sign, all on one sheet.
It makes a great poster, intriguing you with not all the information but just enough to get a sense of the story.
Halloween (1978)
'Halloween' has become an icon among the film industry, with horror films in recent years adapting the original poster featured in 1978.
Another famous poster, with a hand wielding a knife in front of a pumpkin, this style has, no doubt, influenced many directors since.
When it comes to highest-grossing movies, 'Halloween' was the most successful independent film until the late 90s, when the Blair Witch Project overtook it.
The reason why Halloween is so memorable is the striking imagery on the poster, quite arguably the one poster in the horror genre that stands out more than anything else.
The Godfather (1972)
Despite being a more simplistic image, this poser has become iconic imagery in the film world.
Taken from Mario Puzo's book of the same name, this clever concept of showing puppetry at hand suggests what the narrative will have in stock for viewers.
This classic poster's use of negative space is eye-catching and makes perfect sense for the film's tonality.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
The strong pose of Robby The Robot depicted on the poster, with Anne Francis in his arms, presents a unique sci-fi film.
'Forbidden Planet' could have possibly been a flop. Still, the designers responsible for creating this iconic poster have created something that is familiar, even today and has inspired many other sci-fi films.
Gone With the Wind (1939)
Despite being 83 years old, this is still the highest-grossing movie of all time when inflation is brought into the equation.
The framing has been influential in many later films, with the two leading protagonists the largest image on the sheet.
This mesmerising poster was inventive, suggesting romance and flames in a world that desperately needed them.
Jurassic Park (1993)
A film that arrived in the early nineties and was directed by Steven Spielberg, 'Jurassic Park' features what is widely considered one of the best taglines, which is incredibly important for a poster.
Audiences instantly identify this with a large dinosaur silhouette and a simple black background, making it one of the greatest movie posters.
In a film that takes time to reveal the dinosaurs to the audience, the most famous scene features the T-Rex, so the film poster and Jurassic Park's logo only emphasise that fear.
American Beauty (1999)
Now a classic film, Sam Mendes' 'American Beauty' features a simplistic yet impactful poster design.
The film's title stands out against the torso of a naked body, holding a single rose.
There is a simple elegance to this midriff being shown, yet it tells the audience nothing about the story, only intriguing the audience to find out more.
Mean Streets (1973)
Martin Scorsese's 'Mean Streets' is canonical to the cinema, creating a sense of the criminal viewpoint of Little Italy, New York, we will soon be introduced to.
The world presented is unique, with the marketing showing the city in bold colours, landing the film among the classics.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 'Apocalypse Now' features a beautiful art form of a poster for its 1979 war drama.
With the poster designed by commercial illustrator Bob Peak, known for his dazzling colour schemes and attention to detail.
This poster asks what we really know about the Vietnam war, taking the audience on a new journey with a unique tone and paying homage to the situation's reality while creating a supernatural feel.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Audrey Hepburn was placed on this iconic poster for a good reason, as putting her at the forefront attracts audiences to the cinema.
With a simple white background, Hepburn wearing a black dress and an iconic pearls necklace, this photo has become one of the most recognisable posters of all time.
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)
Despite being a black-and-white film, this poster features warm colours and the film's title in bold lettering.
The producing works behind this poster knew it would be considered racy and sexual at the time, but it has become famous in its own right, parodied and adapted for future films.
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Director Stanley Kubrick brought the world another iconic Vietnam war film, with another minimal yet eye-catching design.
The tagline 'In Vietnam, the wind doesn't blow, it sucks' can be seen on the poster, with an army hat featured as the primary image.
A white background is clean, leaving the rest to the imagination, unlike more complete pieces like Apocalypse Now.
Superman: The Movie (1978)
Considered one of the best taglines of all time, 'You'll believe a man can fly', this poster has stayed famous for a good reason, with Superman's iconic logo soaring through the sky.
DC Studios has gone on to be incredibly successful, with Superman being recast time and time again, but this Christopher Reeve film remains iconic for many audiences.
The Evil Dead (1981)
The artwork featured on Sam Raimi's 'The Evil Dead' is truly horrific, implying the murder and blood that will come in the following 85 minutes.
The picture has since become famous in the horror scene, helping bring Raimi to fame later in life.
Scream (1996)
Alfred Hitchcock has created one of the most recognisable shower scenes and films of all time, to the point that Wes Craven's 1996 'Scream' give many references to Psycho.
Drew Barrymore is featured on the front, in big, before her murder in the opening scenes.
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Designers and artists Bill Gold and Philip Castle created the famous pyramid design for Stanley Kubrick's 1971 'A Clockwork Orange', which has become controversial in the film world.
Banned in multiple countries, the tagline has split audiences, with some believing it is too much for a film poster.
The Graduate (1967)
Starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft and creating an incredibly famous line, Mike Nichol's 'The Graduate' poster features quite possibly the most famous leg.
'Mrs Robinson, you're trying to seduce me', as spoken by Hoffman's character 'Ben Braddock', has been referenced and adapted into future films many times.
The film poster has become a famous poster with a simple black background and Hoffman looking longingly at Bancroft's leg.
Blade Runner (1982)
This sci-fi film epic has inspired many posters to come, creating a fun and entertaining feeling, unlike any other movie during the 80s.
Harrison Ford's face can be seen wielding a futuristic weapon, with the composition being replicated for many future films, including the later 'Blade Runner 2049', made in 2017.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
The beautifully yellow poster for this 2006 comedy features the cast of Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell and Toni Collette, among others, instantly drawing the eye.
Directed by Valerie Fari and Jonathan Dayton, this poster is iconic and suggests an innocence to the characters before they go on their journey.
Goodfellas (1990)
Martin Scorsese knows how to make posters, and the trio of Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci on the poster has become instantly recognisable.
Playing three mafioso bosses, the three figures appear powerful yet detached from the scene, which perfectly encapsulates their presence in the film.
The Social Network (2010)
In David Fincher's dramatic re-telling of Facebook's creation, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, the film poster emulates Facebook's logo with Eisenberg's face looking to the viewer.
The tagline 'You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies' is powerful and depicts the drama to unfold.
Anatomy Of A Murder (1959)
Saul Bass created a piece of artwork that could be enjoyed independently from the film, although Otto Preminger's classic is a number one motion picture in its own rights.
Once again, the film's plot is a mystery to the audience, but the poster gives them enough intrigue to perhaps buy tickets to the final picture.
The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter directed this classic horror sci-fi, and Drew Struzan is to thank for the incredible poster design.
The tagline 'Man is the warmest place to hide' is iconic among the horror community and the striking silhouette among a sea of ice.
Struzan didn't know anything about the plot when designing the poster, only it was set in a freezing environment and created the instantly recognisable picture nonetheless.
Titanic (1997)
James Cameron directed the 1997 classic 'Titanic', which has now become one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, and the poster had a part to play in that.
The romance film was believed to be a flop, but the iconic tagline 'Nothing on Earth could come between them' solidifies this film in the hall of fame.
With Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet on the poster, with the famous boat helm protruding toward the audience, this film encapsulates all the information the audience needs before watching.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is considered one of the best superhero franchises of all time, and the poster wonderfully depicts the grittiness of the film.
Christian Bale and Heath Ledger star in this epic, with Bale's Batman standing powerfully in the poster's centre.
The famous bat symbol has been created out of flames in the background, with the tagline 'Welcome to a world without rules', hinting at the character of Batman and what he will do to ensure justice.
Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott's poster for 'Alien' is unique and minimalistic, unlike many of the other posters in his repertoire.
Very little is revealed about the horrors to unfold, other than the tagline 'in space, no one can hear you scream', which has been referenced throughout popular culture ever since the film's release.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Quentin Tarantino knew what he was doing with 1994's 'Pulp Fiction' movie poster, and it has become instantly recognisable among fans everywhere.
The poster does not reveal anything about the story, only featuring Uma Thurman's Mia Wallace on the cover. She is lying on the floor, her left hand resting gently on a book next to a gun.
Her signature hair and cigarette in hand have sparked many Halloween costumes and become famous.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
There are two main poster designs for Steven Speilberg's 1982 sensation 'E.T', with one including the famous flying bike image.
The other poster, which is equally as renowned, features E.T's glowing finger and Elliot's touching, in an apt comparison to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.
This, of course, is repeated by the ongoing themes of religion throughout the film. Both are incredibly well known now, with the flying bike forming into a life of its own.
Chinatown (1974)
Director Roman Polanski worked closely with Richard Amsel on the poster for this noir film, taking great inspiration from the classic neo-noir films that came before.
Jack Nicholson can be seen, shadowed and smoking a cigarette, forming the face of Faye Dunaway out of the smoke.
This minimal design suggests foul play is at hand and intrigues audiences to watch.
The Shining (1980)
Saul Bass, once again, created the instantly identifiable poster for 'The Shining', a great artwork piece 42 years later.
The marketing materials needed for this film don't feature any faces, a trope that has become popular in modern cinema.
Stanley Kubrick wrote all his taglines himself, and when collaborating with Bass, they created a poster with simple elegance yet striking horror to all viewers.
Airplane (1980)
In a film that is littered with satire, sarcasm and dry humour, the poster echoes that tone with a Boeing 707 being tied into knots.
The font is bold and childish, with the tagline 'Thank God it's only a motion picture!' giving the audiences an idea about the vibe of the following film from Paramount Pictures.
Trainspotting (1996)
Toward the end of the 1990s, director Danny Boyle brought the world 'Trainspotting', which perfectly summarised a generator and culture into one film.
The poster does an excellent job of teasing that. With Ewan McGregor and his co-stars on the poster, which is a deep shade of orange and the character-defining poses, this poster has genuinely become infamous.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Robert De Niro stars in the 1976 classic, with Martin Scorsese directing once again.
The poster is in greyscale, featuring De Niro walking down the pavement. The story is not revealed to the audience; instead, we are left with an uneasy feeling, unsure of the unfolding narrative.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1992)
The Terminator franchise is iconic, sparking parodies and spoofs since its release.
Arnold Schwarzenegger can be seen riding a motorbike in his classic leather jacket, holding a large shotgun.
The movie poster's aesthetic is cool and mysterious, with Schwarzenegger donning sunglasses and the overall shadowy effect.
The Truman Show (1998)
With mosaics becoming more popular as time passed, 'The Truman Show' was one of the first posters to do something like this.
In a film where the protagonist's life is documented at every stage, it only makes sense for the poster to emulate that.
Jim Carrey's face can be seen smiling blissfully, with various shots of his life being part of the compilation that creates the photographic mosaic.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
This film poster from director Bryan Singer encapsulates the plot and tone perfectly, showing five men standing in a police line-up.
Among their co-stars, Kevin Spacey and Stephen Baldwin can be seen in the line-up, with large shadows being cast on the wall behind them.
This unlikely bunch look like something bad is about to happen, suggesting the film's mysterious plot.
Indiana Jones: Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1982)
Harrison Ford as the whip-swinging hero Indiana Jones is iconic, and the posters for the franchise were created by the talented Drew Struzan.
Working with Steven Spielberg time and time again, Struzan created a picture that encapsulates the adventure and exciting story Indiana follows, which is still impactful in the 21st century.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Jodie Foster's face on the poster, with a death's head hawkmoth on her mouth, is perhaps one of the most iconic movie posters of all time.
This is a chilling image with negative space in the bottom right corner yet can be recognised by fans globally.
The People Vs Larry Flynt (1996)
Ironically, this film is about censorship, and the original film poster was censored in many countries
Woody Harrelson stars in this film, and the original poster had him in a crucifixion pose between a pair of woman's legs, which audiences didn't necessarily enjoy.
Later, this poster was changed to Harrelson in black-and-white, with an American flag across his face, muting him.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Despite mentioning Star Wars earlier, the posters for the entire Star Wars franchise are instantly recognisable as summer blockbusters.
The poster's composition has been adapted for later superhero films and created a wave of similar designs.
Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford's face can be seen on the poster, among a sea of other characters, building excitement for all audiences.
The Star Wars films have continued to produce amazing posters, despite being a franchise that is over fifty years old.
Back to the Future (1985)
There are few trilogies as famous as 'Back To The Future', and the movie poster design is truly unique.
Director Robert Zemeckis created a time travel film with a comedy duo, with the logo being true to sci-fi with its metallic texture and bold colours.
The DeLorean car crucial to their time travel can be seen on the cover, with the famous flame tracks behind it.
Original Vintage Movie Posters for Sale
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Take a sneak peak at some of the posters we have in stock here. However, if you have a film in mind and don't see it here, please get in touch as we'd be happy to locate it for you.
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