Movie Posters

Find out more about the codes and conventions of movie posters.

Introduction

Great movie posters grab the attention of the audience waiting at the bus shelter and scrolling through their social media feeds. They can establish the film’s narrative and themes, emphasise the star power, and celebrate the critical success of the production. They should start conversations. Some designs even become an iconic part of our pop culture.

This guide will take you through the different types of movie posters, including the teaser, theatrical release, and review formats. We are going to define the key terms and explore their conventions. If you are interested in making your own posters, the technical specifications can help you achieve the precision you need for printing or uploading.

Advance Posters

Even before the cameras finish rolling and the editors have spliced the first cut of the film, movie studios want to people to feel excited about their next blockbuster. Like the name suggests, advance posters are distributed to cinemas and other outlets to create that initial buzz. Unless it is a major release or a tentpole production, most teaser posters will have “Coming Soon” instead of a specific date. Advertisers will use something like “In Theatres This Summer” for American cinemagoers.

The advance poster might only contain a simple image and a few basic details. Batman (1989) is a good example. It features the instantly recognisable symbol of the superhero, but the use of gold and black colours signified a shift from the light-hearted television show of the past to a grittier and more serious version of the caped crusader. The sleek enigma code raised plenty of questions about Tim Burton’s adaptation and avoided some of the controversy surrounding the casting of a comedic actor, Michael Keaton, in the physically demanding role of Batman.

A more recent example is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026). Filming began in February 2025, and the first advance poster was released in June the same year. The artwork is minimalist: the marble statue provides the setting; the fiery sparks and rising smoke suggest the violent conflict; and the tagline Defy the Gods teases the epic quality of the narrative. It is also worth noting the reference to iMax draws attention to the high production values.

Both posters were published in the traditional one-sheet format displayed on the walls of cinema lobbies. Measuring 27 x 40 inches, one-sheets are large enough to stand out in the noisy, open spaces while you are ordering your salted popcorn. Some people snapped pictures of Nolan’s artwork and posted the images online before Universal Studios had even released the teaser on their official accounts. That is the power of contemporary marketing.

The first official poster of Avengers Endgame (2019) featured the logo being blasted by an unknown force. The bleak narrative is reinforced by the worn texture of the letter “A”, the muted colour palette and the grey clouds in background. Perhaps the glimmer of light connoted hope for the superheroes. Fans of the franchise were particularly excited because the poster revealed the title Endgame for the first time. The use of enigma codes set up questions that will be answered when you watch the film.

Character Advances

Teaser posters are often followed by separate images of the main characters. These versions are known as character advances.

Expect to see the protagonist staring at something in the distance or reaching for the magical object that will defeat the villain. The intense and determined expression on their face will encode their unwavering desire to save the world.

A close-up will focus on their facial expressions and the emotions behind the eyes whereas medium shots draw more attention to costume elements and props that define the character’s role in the story. Tightening the frame on the actors is an obvious marketing ploy, especially when the studio wants to emphasise the star power or highlight a fan favourite.

This advance for Chandi in Dune (2022) is a good example of the format. The portrait-style shot is positioning the audience to view Zendaya’s character as a heroic figure in the narrative. The use of lighting creates a soft shadow on one side of her face, enhancing her features and adding depth. Her ethereal blue eyes suggest the story takes place on an alien world. The result is intimate and dramatic.

We only get a glimpse of the blurred background, so the audience are left to speculate what adventures are waiting for her beyond the frame. It is an effective introduction to the character.

This character advance for Black Widow in Avengers Endgame is a medium shot to make sure we can see her new electroshock batons. Fans will also notice she is back to her classic, red-coloured hair. Once again, the character is focused on something outside the frame. She is ready for the fight.

The cosmic streaks of light refer to the quantum realm and the idea she is caught in the galactic battle across space-time. The shattered elements in the background could suggest the devastation she must overcome to save our world. Perhaps the shards link to the idea of mirror dimensions. There are certainly enough clues for fans to explore on social media and discussion forums.

When multiple posters are released, each character will have their own pose and costume to convey their identity and role in the story, but there will also be a consistent style to make sure the promotional materials construct a clear message. This Black Widow example was released to audiences in Thailand alongside eleven other character posters. They all featured the cosmic background, streaks of light and blue colour grading.

Marvel initially released 32 character posters for Endgame with the tagline Avenge the Fallen. At first glance, the head shots do not reveal much information. However, half of the images are in black and white to imply they died at the end of the previous film.

The portrait mode of the posters is the perfect form for posting on social media, so cinema chains and local theatres were able to share the images to their followers and generate more hype for the film.

Theatrical Release Poster

The theatrical release poster is considered official promotional material. The design is usually controlled by the studios and producers because it must conform to certain industry standards and regulations. For example, the one sheet will include a billing block which names the key creative and decision-making roles that helped deliver the production. The salaries and commitments of those individuals above-the-line, such as the director, screenwriter and stars of the show, are usually negotiated before principal photography begins. It will be in their contracts to be credited on the official poster. In fact, an actor might even have a stipulation in their agreement to occupy 25% of the design space on the poster or to have their name in a more prominent position.

The names are incredibly small because the producers need to squeeze so many people into the tight space to meet their obligations. If you are making your own movie poster, make sure you use a condensed typeface for the credits to ensure the letters are close together. Try Univers 39 Ultra Condensed or Helvetica Condensed.

The production companies and other agencies will have their own logos here as well.

Here is the official poster for Batman (1989). The superhero’s symbol is still the dominant signifier, but there is now a billing block at the bottom and the film’s title. You will also notice the name of the two stars at the top. Reading left to right, Jack Nicholson must have been contracted as the top bill because his name appears first.

Many film boards and agencies require the rating to be displayed on all official advertising materials. Although the system is not enforced by law in America, the Motion Picture Association determined Batman should be rated PG-13 with Parents Strongly Cautioned. You can see the warning on the bottom left of the poster. UK posters tend to display the rating more prominently.

The rating helps audiences make informed choices about watching the film, but it also supports cinema staff in applying the age restrictions.

In the UK, the standard film poster is known as the quadruple crown, or simply quad. It is sized 40″ x 30″ and displayed in a landscape format. The official poster for Endgame is a typical example.

The artwork is more detailed than the advanced posters and the regulatory and contractual obligations are included at the bottom. You can see Robert Downey Jr. is the leading actor because his name appears first and he is positioned at the top of the collage of characters.

Awards Poster

If a film has been nominated for or won an industry award, such as an Oscar or BAFTA, the studios might issue new promotional material to include these accolades. The marketing team are also quick to add five-star reviews from well-known critics. Award posters tend to have less artwork to leave more room for comments and awards.

Producers need to construct audiences for their films and encourage us to spend our hard-earned money at the box office. The advance and character posters are part of this process, drawing our attention to the production. The following reviews style poster for La La Land (2016) is an excellent example of creating desire for a film because it reassures the target market the film is effervescent and effortlessly cool.

It is important to note that many independent and art-house films are shown in festivals around the world before they go on general release. Therefore, their original poster might include a reference to their success at, for example, the Cannes Film Festival.

Styles

Studios normally release variations of the official poster in an attempt to appeal to different audience segments. One poster might emphasise codes from the action genre while another could appeal to the film’s romantic plot. These styles are labelled A, B, C and even D.

If you want to know more about how your own psychographic is defined, check out the way television shows and films are presented differently according to the user profile in Netflix or Amazon Prime. These companies try to tailor the title cards to appeal to individual viewers.

International Audiences

Movie studios localise the poster designs to target the cultural values and ideologies of specific audiences. In the Russian version, for example, Black Widow is positioned at the bottom of the collage and closer to the viewer to increase her visibility because of her backstory in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Scarlet Johansson’s star power in that market.

Captain America is no longer leading the Avengers – a sign of the geopolitical context.

Of course, the title and release details are translated into Russian.

Specifications

We have focused on the traditional one-sheet in America and quad in the UK because they are displayed in cinema lobbies, but there are other standardised dimensions. If you are in the subway in New York, you will walk past plenty of two-sheet (40” x 60”) and three-sheet (41” x 81”) posters. The largest available poster in the London underground is the massive 96-sheet displayed on the tunnel walls across the platforms.

Other standardised sizes exist around the world, such as the classic French Grand Affiche which is a 47” x 63” portrait poster.

Many posters now are double-sided so they can be viewed by audiences in either direction.

If you want to get started on your own design, follow our simple guide to creating a movie poster in Photoshop.

Final Thoughts

Marketing teams are always looking for unique selling points and new ways to promote films. There might be special format posters which promise premium screenings in IMAX and other viewing experiences. Some larger cinema chains will have their own logo on the posters and give them to audiences for free. Odeon in the UK did this with Endgame posters. When older films are re-released, the artwork is often updated or stylised to pay tribute to the original design.

Look out for motion posters in your social media feeds. These versions feature short, looping animations based on the main poster.

Fans of a franchise or cult film will offer their own artistic interpretations of the studios’ designs and circulate their posters online. Some of these textual poachers create more effective promotional material than the official accounts.

Movie posters are an effective marketing strategy. They have also become a vibrant part of our culture.