18 Movie Poster Clichés That Prove Hollywood Has Run Out Of Ideas

Movie posters are an incredibly important part of a film’s marketing strategy. They are created to promote films and to intrigue audiences. In the days before Photoshop, movie posters were often as much a piece of art as the movie itself. When we think of Jaws, Stanley Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange, or Scarface, the first thing that comes to mind may not be a scene from the film, but the image of the promotional poster that advertised it.

These days, movie studios seem to have run out of original ideas. The sheer ubiquity of the clichés in current film advertising makes it more than a little difficult to differentiate between one film and another. Most studios rely on the same, tired concepts to tease their films. As a case in point, try recalling what the posters for this year’s blockbusters look like. Chances are you’ll find it hard to recall any.

On his blog, Christophe Courtois compiles hundreds of movie and television promotional posters with striking similarities. Check them out below.

Romantic comedy duos standing back to back

Movie Posters That Look Similar (15)

The evil eye

Movie Posters That Look Similar (17)

Or a blindfold

Movie Posters That Look Similar (1)

Comic book superheroes striking similar poses, often overlooking a city.

Movie Posters That Look Similar (10)

Can you read these faces?

Movie Posters That Look Similar (11)

People running for their lives, tilted at an angle and often on a blue poster

Movie Posters That Look Similar (12)

Giant floating heads

Movie Posters That Look Similar (13)

Main character looking over shoulder, usually with a weapon in hand

Movie Posters That Look Similar (14)

Rolling out the red carpet

Movie Posters That Look Similar (18)

Or yellow

Movie Posters That Look Similar (5)

Sitting on benches

Movie Posters That Look Similar (2)

Luscious lips of a woman

Movie Posters That Look Similar (3)

Or her body

Movie Posters That Look Similar (4)

Between a woman’s legs

Movie Posters That Look Similar (16)

A natural focus against a mostly blue background

Movie Posters That Look Similar (6)

Lady in red

Movie Posters That Look Similar (7)

Glasses

Movie Posters That Look Similar (8)

Black, white and orange

Movie Posters That Look Similar (9)

Studio execs, it’s time to refresh the design of your next movie poster. If not, someone might mistakenly buy a ticket for the wrong generic action movie! Share these similar movie posters with others below.