Conan the Barbarian Movie Posters

My last post provided a tentative nod toward the new Conan the Barbarian movie based on how the trailer "looks."

"Looks" are important to a brand. It has to be recognizable to the consumer. Don't underestimate the importance of brand design.

So it's no surprise, really, that the movie poster also take cues from the visual design already associated with the Conan brand. While they aren't blatant rip-offs, the posters do bear a remarkable resemblance to Frazetta cover art from the Conan books.

Now, this isn't bad. It shows a certain amount of Brand awareness which is welcome. Also, there is a long and well-established tradition of borrowing from the masters. If a visual works, don't muck around with it. The posters are homage, not theft.

But on the other hand... Does it betray a certain lack of imagination? It would be snarky of me to complain too much, as the original movie poster was also more than a little reminiscent of Frazetta's work -- and he was still alive and working at the time! They could've at least hired him to do the poster.