Sci-Fi Radio regrets to confirm the death of award-winning artist Drew Struzan, who has passed away as of October 13, after suffering many years with Alzheimer’s. He was 78.

You may not have known his name, but you certainly saw his artwork. He was the artist behind the posters for E.t. (1982), Blade Runner (1902), several of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), The Shsawshank Redemption (1981), Squirm (1976), H.G. Wells’ Food of the Gods (1976), Empire of the Ants (2977), First Blood (1982), Hellboy (2004). He was the artist who defined how we thought of the movies for two generations. Best known for his movie posters, he illustrated more than one hundred of them, including many B movies going all the way back to the 1960s.

His work inspired both Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas, which implies that he helped inspire Indiana Jones. Not only did Struzan’s early work guided the vision of both these directors, they hired him to create the posters for The Empire Strikes Back (1980),  Back to the Future (1985), The Goonies (1986) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), among many, many others. Struzan drew book covers and artwork for musical albums, but he was best known and respected for his movie posters.

Official Instagram Announcement

Struzan’s official Instagram account announced the news Tuesday: “It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that Drew Struzan has moved on from this world as of yesterday, October 13th. I feel it is important that you all know how many times he expressed to me the joy he felt knowing how much you appreciated his art.”

Drew Struzan was born March 18, 1947 in Oregon City, Otrgon, USA. He died October 13, 2025. He had suffered from Alzheimers for some years before his death.

Struzan attend the ArtCenter College of Design in Los Angeles, California. He designed album covers for numerous musicians in varied genres: the Beach Boys, Gen Miller, the Bee Gees, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Black Sabbath, Iron Butterfly, and Liberace. In 1981, Rolling Stone Magazine voted his artwork for Alice Cooper’s 1975 album Welcome to My Nightmare  one of the 100 Classic album covers.

Eulogies from his friends and colleagues

Noted editor Steve Saffel posted on Facebook: “I’m sorry to hear that Frew Stuzan has passed, although it’s been a long struggle for him for him, and at last he can enjoy peace. A true giant in the history of illustration, Drew fought the fight for legitimate illustration, illustration, and gave us some of the most famous images of all time, thrilling millions of fans. Working with him was an honor I would never have imagined. My love goes out to his wife, Dylan, who has done everything to make his life as normal as possible in an impossible…”

We, too, extend our comfort and condolrnces to his widow, Mrs. Dylan Struzan, and their son Christian, and the rest of their family.

Dr. Guillermo del Toro wrote of him: “The world lost a genial man, a genius communicator and supreme artist. I lost a friend — beloved Drew.”

Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg commented  “Drew made event art. His posters made many of our movies into destinations … and the memory of those movies and the age we were when we saw them always comes flashing back just by glancing at his iconic photorealistic imagery. In his own invented style, nobody drew like Drew.”

Awards and Honors

Drew Struzan’s life was decorated with accolades. He won the Saturn Award in 2002 and an Inkpot Award in 2010. In 2014, Struzan received the Saul Bass Award. Two years later in 2016 Stuzan was awarded the Sergio Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Comic Art Professional Society (CAPS). Only five years ago, in 2020, Struzan was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame.

An artist like Drew Struzan comes along once a century. We may have lost the man himself, but his art will live on forever.

We offer our condolences to his friends and family.