Lights, Camera, Action! TV and Movie Poster Designs, Fonts and More

From the eerie, ominous tones of a true crime documentary to the futuristic blue glow of a sci-fi film, all successful movies and TV shows tend to follow a formula. Why? Because if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! By recreating the recognizable tropes of movie genres and TV shows, you can provide a shorthand for your audience and make your movie poster design, movie trailer or TV ad accessible and recognizable. It’s all in the little details! 

The right graphic design style, font or music track can immediately convey a movie or TV show’s genre or subtext – telling us to expect an action-packed blockbuster, a family cartoon comedy or even a period drama or modern romance. Netflix offers some of the best examples of genre branding. Each Netflix created show has its own unique look and feel, but heavily borrows from the genre that it aspires to, from The Crown (period drama) to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (spooktastic teen comedy).

If you’re unsure where to start, one way to fake it ‘til you make it is to tap into current movie and TV trends – such as retro fonts (think Stranger Things and Freaks and Geeks), eerie true-crime video templates (emulating true-crime docos like Tiger King and Making a Murderer) or pop-culture inspired graphics templates that are aligned to what’s trending right now.

Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker, a TV junkie, or simply want to use TV and Movie trends as inspiration for your next poster or social media content, finding the right design style for your project can help you create trendy, eye-catching visuals to attract an audience.

Ready to get a movie on? As we head into Awards Season, we take a look at the best blockbuster design templates, cinematic fonts and movie poster designs on Envato Elements, inspired by true crime, horror, sci-fi and more.

From series like 2020 phenomenon Tiger King to Making a Murderer and even podcasts like Serial – true crime has absolutely exploded over the last five years. The general public has become obsessed with delving inside the minds of psychopaths and serial killers – a fascination fuelled by the constant stream of true crime series and documentary films flooding our televisions and streaming services. Want to emulate the true crime vibe? Featuring eerie visuals and dark, ominous graphics and fonts, here are some of the top true-crime inspired items on Envato Elements… 

The retro trend has absolutely dominated pop-culture over the last year, popping up everywhere from graphic design and marketing to movies and TV shows. Starting with the huge success of Stranger Things back in 2016, to the resurgence of 90’s shows such as FRIENDS and Freaks and Geeks on streaming services, and even the recent obsession with Bridgerton, there’s no denying that retro and vintage is well and truly back in vogue. Keen to take a step back in time? From 80’s cyberpunk fonts to 90’s pop culture graphics, here are some of the best throwback items on Envato Elements… 

Since its inception in the early 1920s – when the term ‘science fiction’ was coined by one of the genre’s top advocates, Hugo Gernsback – sci-fi has remained popular. From classics such as Star Wars, The X Files, Alien and Star Trek to modern sci-fi hits Interstellar, I Am Legend, The Mandalorian and Christopher Nolan movie TENET, sci-fi is just as relevant now as it was over 100 years ago. Spanning the realms of intergalactic space travel, post-apocalyptic wastelands and alien invasions, the sci-fi genre is as vast as the universe it ponders. Want to know how to get the sci-fi vibe? Including futuristic fonts, intergalactic video templates and graphics that are out of this world, here are some of the top sci-fi items on Envato Elements… 

Swoon-worthy favorites such as romantic dramas and comedies have been popular since the dawn of the big and small screen. However, due to the rise of Netflix and endless other streaming services, a new genre has blossomed – the ‘modern romance’ genre. Including the likes of Emily in Paris, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Normal People and New Girl, modern romance typically focuses on the tropes of modern dating, and features arty, contemplative design. Including handwritten fonts, cinematic video templates and indie graphics, here are some of the top modern-romance inspired items on Envato Elements… 

Since the first known horror movie The House of the Devil was created in 1898 – complete with cauldrons, animated skeletons, ghosts, transforming bats and the incarnation of the Devil – film audiences have been obsessed with horror. Whether it be blood and gore, supernatural, slasher movies or psychological thrillers, the horror genre is one that continues to evolve, spawning countless films and TV shows. Whether you prefer retro horrors like Psycho, the Exorcist and Scream, or modern horrors like Paranormal Activity, The Conjuring, IT or Get Out, our thirst for horror shows no sign of being quenched any time soon. Want to conjure a creepy horror aesthetic? Featuring frightening fonts, spooky video templates and gory graphics, here are the best horror-inspired items on Envato Elements… 

Walt Disney first introduced Mickey Mouse to our screens in the 1920s, and since then cartoons have been a family favorite. For decades, animated films and TV shows have offered viewers young and old hand-drawn (and digitally enhanced) fantasy worlds with no limits, which provide a welcome escape from reality. Whether you prefer Disney classics like Cinderella and Snow White, a 90’s Anime series such as Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z, or modern ‘grown up’ cartoons such as Adventure Time, Big Mouth and Rick and Morty, the cartoon genre remains relevant. Want to create a classic cartoon style? Featuring fun fonts, illustrations and animations, here are some of the best cartoon-like items available on Envato Elements… 

And that’s a wrap for our top TV & Movie-inspired design templates for 2021! While you’re here, check out our blog on the Best Movie Fonts for a Cinematic Effect, or head over to Envato Elements to start creating today.