10 Modern Movie Poster Trends That Need To Die

Here’s a question for you: have you ever laughed at a colour? The answer is probably no, because the concept of colours isn’t inherently funny. Although it might seem odd, there is some logic behind this trend.

White and black are both a designer’s friend, since they can effectively contrast and compliment almost every single other colour. But where black connotes mystery and sophistication, white is a colour of innocence and levity. Add a splash of red to that white, and you’ve got a comforting, sickly-sweet aesthetic, cinema’s answer to strawberries and cream.

The trouble is, these posters are almost so comforting that they become completely benign. For the most part, we see individuals sitting or standing in front of a white background, while some red text relays the movie’s title. That’s it. Thank you very much, please collect your hefty designer’s fee.

There might be wisdom to the phrase “less is more”, but as Hollywood comedies become increasingly homogenized, their posters seem to follow suit, advertising little more than “this film will pass two hours of your time, and will also star Jason Segel.”