AN 'EMPIRE' IN TRIBUTE. CELEBRATING THE ICONIC LAUNCH POSTER ART OF ROGER KASTEL...

In tribute to the superb movie poster art talent Roger Kastel, who sadly passed away on November 8th, 2023, we celebrate his greatest work for the Original Trilogy's The Empire Strikes Back with this special look at the many effective and memorable variations of his stellar piece, and the first worldwide released poster art for the film. A 'romance' poster, deliberately conceived by George Lucas in the 'Gone With the Wind' style, likely to potentially lure in more female/generic audiences, that would be loved and admired for decades to come...  

Roger Kastel with an Empire art variation and the classic Jaws image motif.

Roger Kastel, ‘Jaws’ Poster Artist, Dies at 92 - The New York Times

RogerKastel.com - The Official Website of Artist Roger Kastel - JAWS Movie Poster Artist

Sketch print idea.

Concept idea.

Concept idea.

Artist's 'practice sketch'.

Presumed Kastel art. Another variation piece heavy on character and incident elements.

Early art that would be revised. Lando, Boba Fett, Rebel weapons turret and Cloud City buildings would be removed from the first poster art released after numerous Lucasfilm meetings. Note Han's different costume in image.

Key release art used in selected magazine advertising, like Starlog magazine, in 1980. Cloud City is missing from this early poster, replaced by X-wing fighter images.

Spanish/Latin America variation poster. with Yoda added, presumably from 1981?

Revised horizontal version.

UK quad poster variation, with additional elements originally removed in concept planning then returned, including Cloud City.

Revised and rare UK quad movie poster, with the droids and Chewbacca's position altered and enhanced, that appeared on London Underground stations in May 1980 before being replaced with later poster art by Tom Jung.

Bannerless revised UK variation. Image via Matthew Shaw Collection.

Limited publicity New York Subway theatre listings poster release - May 1980.

Unknown publicity release or concept idea, possibly for planned subway advertising? 

Advertising/media poster of some kind, most likely for the UK, with revised art that strengthen Vader's background presence, May 1980.

American release listing.

American release listing using softened variation art.

US newspaper advert/ release listing info.

The image as used as part of the official fan club merchandising in 1980.

Another bannerless, lengthened variation.

International poster including Boba Fett, Lando and a Rebel turret.

French variation poster.

Reversed image for unknown magazine.

1980 Hong Kong poster, now with added AT-AT Walker firepower!

Yoda is added to the poster, with Lando, Boba and Rebel gun turret disappeared. Presumably a US re-release poster from 1981?

Yoda added to poster, as seen with banners.