Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One movie poster is packed with Easter eggs for eagle-eyed viewers.
There's not long to go until the release of Ready Player One, the cinematic adaptation of Ernest Cline's best-selling science fiction adventure book. In the run up to its theatrical debut, the official Ready Player One poster has been unveiled, and it's packed with Easter Eggs and knowing nods to poster designs from the '80s.
Created by Paul Shipper, the poster has been specially designed with a vintage-style that calls back to legendary poster illustrator Drew Struzan - you might remember his work from such film series as Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and Star Wars.
It's a clever move, given that the film's story is a retro pop culture jamboree. The poster even features elements from films Struzan illustrated, such as the time travelling DeLorean from Back the the Future. Check it out below.
Click the magnifying glass icon in the top right to see the full size poster
Topping off the design is the clever Ready Player One logo designed by Pentagram'sEmily Oberman, which turns the title into a miniature maze with an Easter Egg at the end. A fitting concept considering that the story sees its protagonists hunting down clues in a digital reality.
This latest is also a welcome change for artists, after the previous effort released late last year included a character with questionable body proportions and was considered a bit of a design fail.
When posters like this are released, there's always a flurry of social media activity as artists and designers are quick to slam or praise the results. This design is no exception, with opinion split on whether or not it pulls off its intentions as both a good piece of design and an homage to Struzan.
However, it's rare that the artist behind the work in question wades into the debate. But that's exactly what happened when one online commentator decided to break down the artistic shortcomings of Shipper's illustration.
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The ‘lines’ you mention are underpainted gesso brush strokes. The paint and pencil are over the top of that. Just so we are clear.February 14, 2018
Let it be a cautionary tale to us all, be careful when you Tweet criticism because you never know who's listening.
Dom Carter is a freelance writer who specialises in art and design. Formerly a staff writer for Creative Bloq, his work has also appeared on Creative Boom and in the pages of ImagineFX, Computer Arts, 3D World, and .net. He has been a D&AD New Blood judge, and has a particular interest in picture books.
