Hollywood likes repeating itself, finding formulas that work and milking them until they're no longer profitable. Unfortunately, this not only happens with films, but with movie posters as well. Sure, we get a interesting one every couple years, but there's no denying that most posters fall into only a handful of categories. From a business standpoint, this makes sense. If a film comes along and is a wild success, studios look at
why it was a hit, in an attempt to repeat that success in the future. One of the biggest things that can either make or break a film, is marketing. A film like John Carter, for instance, had terrible marketing and was an enormous flop. This wasn't the
only thing wrong with the film, but if the marketing department had done a better job at boosting excitement for general audiences, more people would have seen the film. In an attempt to copy the marketing of successful films and stay ahead of the curve, studios often resort to the same handful of clichés when it comes to movie posters. They are an instant way to get people excited about the film and convey its tone and objective. This list will examine 10 of the biggest, most obnoxious clichés used in movie posters, and breakdown why they have become so commonplace...
Honorable Mention: Heroically Standing Before Destruction
Used For: Mostly superheroes and tentpole franchise films. This is a relatively new trend, which seems to have begun around the time of The Dark Knight. It features a main character from the film standing before some form of destruction, implying a dark, gritty tone that will put our hero in peril. It shows them stoically standing strong against the forces of evil; and when the poster features the antagonist, gives us a glimpse of what they're capable of. It's an instant way for a studio to say, "sh*t is about to get
real."