What kind of influence do film posters have?

Film posters can have a variety of different influences on a film and audience. On the film it can be a good way of advertising the movie, you can make a viewer laugh, cry, or simply just interest them with a good effective poster. They can also be quite popular with the fan cult following the certain movies. For the average person, the trailer and film poster has the potential to influence their choice to choose that certain movie. When visiting the cinema you either know what movie you want to watch, or you can use the film posters as an incentive to your decision. A successful advertising campaign uses film posters as a key incentive to watch or buy the movie. A film poster is usually the first form of advertising a movie produces, it is the first real insight into the movie. It can give a strong idea of what and who the main protagonist is. It will also give a good idea to genre of the movie, if it is an action motion-picture, there will traditonally be some kind of action looking scene on the front, either that or something that screams out "serious action".

To serious fan cults, obtaning the iconic film posters is a must, influential film posters such as the 1975 big hitter "Jaws".

Film posters are also appreciated in their "attractiveness"