Poster Sizes

The wonderful world of movie posters: posters that can be found in a bewildering variety of sizes ranging from the small but perfectly proportioned Spanish Herald through to a humongous 24 Sheet Billboard Poster.

In this article we have concentrated on the most popular sizes designed by some of the greatest movie studios, but similar to a Jedi we will return to add further content or as Arnie once said …

British Posters

British Quad: 40″ x 30″ (102 x 76 cm) The quad or to give it its more regal name the Quadruple Crown has long been the standard size of the British movie poster - in its infancy it could be found as a portrait format but now only ever seen in a landscape format. Prior to the mid 1980's they were almost always folded prior to issue. From the 1990s onwards, quads are often reverse printed to enhance the visual effect when placed into a light box.

British One Sheet: 40″ x 27″ (102 x 69 cm) Printed as a portrait format with their use becoming more common from the turn of the century onwards. At 40” tall they are one inch shorter than the U.S. equivalent but as the mighty Yoda once told us ‘Size Matters Not’ 

British Double Crown: 30″ x 20″ (76 x 51 cm) Extremely rare, generally printed as a portrait format and half the size of the quad.Printed on heavy paper stock. Distributed for advertising out-of-house and frequently displayed on buses before being discontinued in the mid 1990’s. 

British Three Sheet: 81″ x 41″ (206 x 104 cm) At various times these have been produced in slightly different sizes, often larger but over the years sizes have reduced to the standard U.S. size of 81″ x 41″. They are produced in 2 or 3 sections and were intended for pasting onto small bill-boards. Consequently those that have survived tend to be only those that were never used and which have escaped war-time paper-drives, etc. 

British Six Sheet: 81″ x 81″ (206 x 206 cm) Although called six sheets they are usually in 4 sections intended for pasting to small bill-boards and for an eye-catching display outside the cinema. Few have survived - however come and chat to us about the Quiller Memorandum. 

British Lobby Cards: 10″ x 8″ (25 x 20 cm) Printed on card stock. These were generally produced in sets of 8 which would include the title card and the remaining cards showing scenes from the film. Most cinemas seemed to prefer this format to the larger lobby cards (11 x 14), which were also produced both here and in America. Many front-of-house cards that were used in British cinemas bear NSS numbers and were printed in the United States.

International Posters Sizes 

American Posters 

America more than any other country has a wider range of cinema poster sizes than any other, below we have covered the most popular.
While New York may lay claim to being the birthplace of the movie industry Hollywood has long been the naturalised home and has been for well over 100 years, with the largest film studios which commission the printing of cinema posters continuing to be based there.

U.S. One Sheet: 27” x 40” (69 x 102 cm) Printed portrait this is by far the most common US cinema poster. Around the mid-80s the height of the poster changed from 41 to 40 inches. Printed on fairly light paper stock and invariably folded prior to 1985. From around the 1940s onwards most U.S. posters were distributed by the now defunct National Screen Service (NSS). Posters distributed by NSS carry a code number printed in the bottom margin and usually stamped on the reverse. 

U.S. Insert: 14” x 36” (36 x 91 cm) Printed portrait style on card stock and originally folded but from the 60’s often issued rolled, before finally being discontinued in the mid 80’s. Their slim profile and durability make them excellent for collecting and display. Similar to the One Sheet they carry the NSS code.  

U.S. Half Sheet: 28” x 22” (71 x 56 cm) Printed landscape style on card stock, similar in ratio to a British quad, before being discontinued in the mid 80s. Similar to the above they carry the NSS code.  

U.S. Three Sheet: 41” x 81” (104 x 206 cm) The name is a giveaway, this portrait-style poster is 3 times the size of the usual US One Sheet poster. These were typically printed in 2 to 3 parts and were displayed on outdoor billboards. For this reason, the ones that survive were typically never used. 

U.S. Six Sheet: 81” x 81” (206 x 206 cm)  Although called six sheets they are usually in 4 sections intended for pasting to small bill-boards and for an eye-catching display outside the cinema, very few have survived. At over 2 square metres you certainly need some with serious wall space. 

U.S. Lobby Card: 14” x 11” (36 x 28 cm) While the UK had Front of House Cards (10 x 8 inches), the US standard slightly larger lobby cards. The use of lobby cards peaked in the 1950s and 1960s. Nowdays new releases appear not to include them.

Australian Posters 

By far Australia’s most common movie poster is the Daybil, throughout its lifetime it has gone through numerous size changes before they finally ceased being produced in the mid 1990’s. Daybills are similar in size to the U.S. Insert. 

Australian Long Daybills: 14" x 40" (36 x 102 cm) Printed from 1910 to 1940 and also known as ‘Pre-War Bills’.

Australian Short Daybills: 13" x 30" (33 x 76 cm) Printed after 1940, size variations are common, printed on paper stock with most being folded twice. 

Australian Daybills: 13" x 26" (33 x 66 cm) From the 1980’s the daybill was again shrunk 

Australian One Sheets: 27" x 40" (69 x 102 cm) Similar in size to the U.S. One Sheets, but usually with slightly different art and often found with the Australian censor stamp. 

Australian Three Sheets: 40" x 81" (102 x 206 cm) Similar in size to the U.S. Three Sheets.

Belgian Posters

As Belgium has no official language of its own, Belgian posters usually have the title and information printed in two different languages - Dutch, German and French being the most common. They often have the English title printed underneath for American releases. Format can be either vertical or horizontal and can often be found with a tax stamp affixed to the poster.

Belgian Affiche: 14″ x 22″ (35.5 x 56 cm) Although sizes can vary often up to an inch or two, generally printed on lightweight paper. 

Belgian One Sheet: 24″ x 33″ (60 x 84 cm) Although before 1939 they were slightly larger at 25″ x 34″.

Belgian Large Sheet: 33″ x 67″ (84 x 170 cm) An extremely rare poster size and generally found only before the outbreak of World War Two.

French Posters

At various times French movie posters have been issued in a bewildering array of sizes and formats. Prior to the mid-1970s French posters featured magnificent, independent designs by poster artists, such as Jean Mascii, Rene Peron, Boris Grinsson, Roger Soubie and others. Re-releases are common and the only way to date original issue French posters is by a combination of the printer’s details, distribution company info and French censors number.

French Petite: 23.6″ x 15.7″ (40 x 55 cm) Extremely common poster size. Can vary in size by up to an inch in either direction.

French Moyenne: 31.5″ x 23.6″ (80 x 60 cm) Always folded and often referred to as an ‘Affiche Moyenne’. 

French Pantalon: 63″ x 23.6″ (160 x 60 cm) Often referred to as a door panel insert and is half the size of the Grande. Issued for major titles and rarely seen today.

French Grande: 63″ x 47″ (160 x 120 cm) Standard French movie poster, issued in one piece and always folded, can vary in size by up to an inch in either direction.

German Posters 

West German and post-unification posters can invariably feature artwork that is similar to that of the country of origin - that said on occasions it can be wildly stunningly different. A1 was the standard West German film poster size from 1945 onwards, however East German posters are produced in a multitude of various different sizes. Leading German poster artists include Rolf Goetze and Bruno Rehak.

German A0: 46″ x 33″ (117 x 84 cm) Super rare compared to A1. Generally Issued folded with the  landscape format being particularly rare.

German A1: 33″ x 23″ (84 x 58 cm) Generally issued folded. This has become the standard German film poster size post World War Two.

German A2: 23″ x 16″ (58 x 41 cm) Extremely rare compared to A1. Generally issued folded. 

German Lobby Cards: 10.6″ x 8.5″ (27 x 22 cm) Printed on paper or card stock and usually issued in sets of 8 but occasionally many more.

Italian Posters 

Similar to French posters, the attraction of Italian film posters lies in the different, often superior, rich artwork that was commissioned for their design. Notable Italian poster artists include Anselmo Ballester, Alfredo Capitani and Luigi Martinati. Prior to 1966 they were undated but after that date they carry a first edition ‘Prima Edizione’ or year of edition date. 

Italian Locandina: 13″ x 28″ (33 x 71 cm) Usually folded but occasionally rolled. Similar in size to the U.S. Insert but with a blank area at the top for insertion of the cinema name and show times. 

Italian One Foglio: 28” x 39” (71 x 99 cm) ‘Foglio’ literally translated as ‘sheet’ is indeed the Italian equivalent of the U.S. One Sheet also known as a Soggettone. 

Italian Two Fogli: 39” x 55” (99 x 140 cm) The classic Italian ‘two sheet’ generally issued folded and not as the name may suggest, is issued in one piece. 

Italian Four Fogli: 55” x 79” (140 x 200 cm) Generally folded and usually issued in 2 sections and intended for pasting onto small billboards. The 4 Fogli often carries artwork that differs from the 2 Foglio.  

Italian Photobusta: 27” x 19” (69 x 48 cm) The Italian version of the ‘Lobby Card’ although a lot larger with formats being either portrait or landscape and generally issued in sets of 10.