Of course, many would be forgiven for having first seen this film on DVD, since the marketing for the film was absolutely atrocious. X-Men: First Class was a stellar reboot that spawned two direct sequels so far, launched its cast into superstardom and reinvigorated a dead franchise all while managing to be a period piece that never once felt dated. While his poster for Iron Man still features the “Protagonist in the foreground, supporting cast as floating heads” formula, the hand-drawn feel gives the poster a unique, eye-catching texture that also serves as a sort of throwback to the classic film posters of yesteryear. It’s as though Marvel doesn’t think folks will go to a movie if they can’t see every actor prominently displayed and thoroughly lit.ĭesigner Hans offers Marvel an alternative: Keep your cookie cutter marketing strategy, but throw in a bit of style. For a franchise whose films represent a varied array of abilities and genres, virtually every film follows the same format of “full body shot of the main character, big floaty heads of the supporting cast”.

However, we can all probably agree that Marvel's poster game is really weak (except for maybe that new Thor: Ragnarok joint). Whether it's the humor, the spot-on casting, or the rich developing universe, everything works well. Let's face it, everyone but the most jaded DC fans love the MCU.

Today we give a shout-out to those brave artists and photoshoppers who knew better than studio marketing teams. The wrong poster is lambasted by the internet, with many stepping forward to say how they would do it better. The right poster can be iconic, forever associated with the film, like the “repeatedly stolen from bus stations and multiplexes” 1989 Batman poster. They help fill multiplex hallways, adorn dorm room walls, and accompany every web article and magazine page that touches on the forthcoming film. Perhaps no piece of marketing, not even trailers nor product tie-ins, can make more of an impact than the poster. RELATED: 16 Unused DC Movie Costumes (That They Don’t Want You To See) Or sometimes, bad marketing can cripple or ultimately doom some genuinely great films, like X-Men: First Class or Dredd. But bad marketing? Like the infamous first trailer for the Ghostbusters reboot, it can validate the worst fears about a film. Hell, sometimes that little hype train that could winds up going a little too far (let’s never forget the “death threats for bad Dark Knight Rises reviews” incident). Good marketing can plant butts in seats even when the critics shout to stay away. Nowadays, a movie is defined by its hype.

Batman forever movie official poster