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‘Hello I’d Like To Report A Poster Theft’: People Showcase 30 Movie Posters That Are Suspiciously Similar
We live in the age of replicas, look-alikes, and stolen ideas. It feels like everything good has been done already, whether it’s a song, a painting, or a clever TV commercial. The fear of being unoriginal is stronger than ever if you’re trying to produce something entirely new.
And while some try their best to come up with fresh ideas, others decide there’s no point in trying too hard. This time, we are looking at some examples of copycats in the film industry, where movie posters are everything but original.
From the suspiciously similar Babel (2006) and Savages (2012) poster designs, to the look-alike Inception (2010) vs. Geostorm (2017), these can’t be just mere coincidences... or can they? Whoever came up with these poster ideas surely has no problem with being unoriginal, and this may as well be somewhat of a liberating feeling.
(h/t: Letterboxd users Bri and Malaine)
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Shrooms (2007) vs. Singular Cay (2012)
RELATED:
#2
Unforgiven (1992) vs. Puss In Boots (2011)
#3
Die Hard 2 (1990) vs. Speed (1994)
Bardhi's Dad 5 years ago
I have almost forgotten those two heroes were young once. But, must say they are still handsome - Bruce not as much as Keanu, but not bad at all
#4
Blue Ruin (2013) vs. Happy Hunting (2017)
#5
Gravity (2013) vs. Ad Astra (2019)
Bardhi's Dad 5 years ago (edited)
Gravity is better movie and have better poster! In my opinion, of course
#6
Cats & Dogs (2001) vs. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
#7
Ex Machina (2014) vs. A.i. Rising (2018)
#8
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) vs. Dark Phoenix (2019)
#9
Winter's Bone (2010) vs. A Dark Place (2018)
Bardhi's Dad 5 years ago
I like much more that one with Jennifer Lawrence, must say. And movie was great also
#10
Drive Angry (2011) vs. Breaking Loose (2014)
#11
Black Swan (2010) vs. Ghostland (2018)
#12
Anatomy Of A Murder (1959) vs. Clockers (1995)
#13
Shrek (2001) vs. The Incredibles (2004)
#14
The Ruins (2007) vs. Wake Wood (2008)
Amanda Flesher 5 years ago
Originally the movie was called Morning Wood, but then they realized the error of their ways 😂
#15
Hot Pursuit (1987) vs. Disturbia (2007)
#16
Babel (2006) vs. Savages (2012)
#17
The Breakfast Club (1985) vs. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
#18
No Country For Old Men (2007) vs. Fright Night (2011)
#19
Shame (2011) vs. The Delinquent Season (2018)
#20
The Night Eats The World (La Nuit A Dévoré Le Monde) (2018) vs. The Rental (2020)
#21
Mystic River (2003) vs. Dusk (2010)
#22
Straw Dogs (1971) vs. Cold Fish (2010)
#23
Lolita (1962) vs. American Strays (1996)
#24
Vampire (2011) vs. Forgotten (2017)
#25
The Ides Of March (2011) vs. Nancy (2018)
#26
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) vs. The Kill Team (2013)
#27
Death Ship (1980) vs. Ghost Ship (2002)
#28
Body Snatchers (1993) vs. Berberian Sound Studio (2012)
#29
Inception (2010) vs. Geostorm (2017)
#30
Deepwater Horizon (2016) vs. Murder On The Orient Express (2017)
#31
Fatal Attraction (1987) vs. Serenity (2019)
earringnut 5 years ago
My favorite part of the second movie is when she uses her psychic abilities to save the day in bada$$ fashion.
#32
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) vs. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
#33
A Star Is Born (2018) vs. I Still Believe (2020)
#34
The Frighteners (1996) vs. The Pact (2012)
#35
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) vs. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
#36
The Tall Man (2012) vs. Astral (2018)
#38
My Cousin Rachel (2017) vs. Winchester (2018)
Bardhi's Dad 5 years ago
Nothing in common! According to this, all the posters with female portraits are similar to each other. Here we have completely different views
#39
Face/Off (1997) vs. Replicas (2018)
#40
The Notebook (2004) vs. Safe Haven (2013)
#41
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005) vs. How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
#42
Léon: The Professional (1994) vs. Nightcrawler (2014)
#43
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) vs. Dinner With Friends (2001)
#44
Lincoln (2012) vs. For The Love Of Spock (2016)
#45
House On Haunted Hill (1999) vs. Identity (2003)
#46
Walkabout (1971) vs. Tangerine (2015)
#47
Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World (2012) vs. A Case Of You (2013)
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What do you think ?
Charlotte A. 5 years ago
I'd say very few of these are similar enough to be "copied" - and in the cases where they ARE similar it is sometimes obviously intentional, sometimes probably warranted by the story (like those women in veils or the two ships) and perhaps sometimes the old poster is just somewhere at the back of the mind when a new poster is made... And as has been mentioned, some compositions and colour schemes are basically standard.
Hans 5 years ago
I think a few months back we had a posting here showing that there is a small number of stereotypical movie poster "templates" only. Thus, similarity is no coincidence, but even likely, without ripping other works off. That with much similarity something the lightning and colour is similar would be a result of graphic design best practices...
Mike Crow 5 years ago
Some look similar, a few look like copycats (one at least on purpose like Puss in Boots). You have to realize that there is a formula or set of unofficial guidelines that the art departments follow and that is why the posters look similar. Especially if you look back at the different decades the movie poster all look similar.
Charlotte A. 5 years ago
I'd say very few of these are similar enough to be "copied" - and in the cases where they ARE similar it is sometimes obviously intentional, sometimes probably warranted by the story (like those women in veils or the two ships) and perhaps sometimes the old poster is just somewhere at the back of the mind when a new poster is made... And as has been mentioned, some compositions and colour schemes are basically standard.
Hans 5 years ago
I think a few months back we had a posting here showing that there is a small number of stereotypical movie poster "templates" only. Thus, similarity is no coincidence, but even likely, without ripping other works off. That with much similarity something the lightning and colour is similar would be a result of graphic design best practices...
Mike Crow 5 years ago
Some look similar, a few look like copycats (one at least on purpose like Puss in Boots). You have to realize that there is a formula or set of unofficial guidelines that the art departments follow and that is why the posters look similar. Especially if you look back at the different decades the movie poster all look similar.
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