The standard modern US movie poster size is 27 × 40 inches, known as a one-sheet, but the correct dimensions depend on the cinema, country, printer or digital platform receiving your artwork.
That distinction matters before you commission a design. A poster for a theatrical display, a festival submission and a streaming catalogue may share the same image, yet need different proportions and different files. Start with the delivery list, then build artwork that can adapt without squeezing faces, clipping credits or losing the title.
Movie poster dimensions at a glance
Read these sizes as width × height in the orientation shown. They describe the finished poster, before any printing bleed. Historical posters and individual print runs can vary, so confirm the actual display opening or measure an existing print before ordering a frame.
| Format | Finished dimensions | Best starting use |
|---|---|---|
| Modern US one-sheet | 27 × 40 in; 68.58 × 101.6 cm | US theatrical portrait artwork |
| Older US one-sheet | 27 × 41 in; 68.58 × 104.14 cm | Checking vintage prints and frames |
| 24 × 36 poster | 24 × 36 in; 60.96 × 91.44 cm | Commercial prints in an exact 2:3 ratio |
| European commercial format | 70 × 100 cm | Spanish and other European print orders |
| French grande | 120 × 160 cm | Large French cinema artwork |
| French petite | 40 × 60 cm | Smaller French poster format |
| British quad, landscape | 40 × 30 in; 101.6 × 76.2 cm | UK cinema display |
| Japanese B1, JIS | 728 × 1030 mm; 72.8 × 103 cm | Japanese large portrait format |
| Japanese B2, JIS | 515 × 728 mm; 51.5 × 72.8 cm | Japanese portrait poster format |
| Digital poster, 2:3 | Pixel dimensions specified by recipient | Vertical platform artwork, where requested |
The cinema formats are documented in Cinema Poster Gallery's format guide and Posteritati's poster-size reference. Commercial printers also offer 24 × 36 inch posters and 70 × 100 cm prints. The precise Japanese dimensions appear in Printpac's B1 and B2 templates.
Which print size should your film use?
One-sheet size versus 24 × 36
Choose the modern one-sheet when a US cinema or distributor requests it. The older, taller version matters mainly when reproducing or framing historical artwork. Neither should be substituted without checking the receiving venue's specification.
The commercial 24 × 36 format is useful when that is the size your printer and display support. It is not another name for a theatrical one-sheet. Its exact 2:3 shape also differs slightly from the modern one-sheet's 27:40 shape. Copying a layout between them requires a small compositional adjustment, rather than stretching the image.
European sizes and the British quad
There is no single European movie poster size. The metric formats in the table belong to different markets and printing traditions. A French grande is not simply a larger version of a petite: their proportions differ. Ask for finished dimensions, orientation and a production template instead of relying on a format name alone.
The British quad creates a more substantial design challenge because it is landscape. A tall stack of faces may need to become a wider grouping, and the title may move beside the main image. Plan this version while choosing the concept, especially if the campaign needs both UK and US theatrical artwork.
Japanese B1 and B2
Specify Japanese JIS dimensions explicitly. A printer or frame supplier working with a different paper standard may interpret “B1” or “B2” differently. Collectors' guides sometimes round the measurements to whole centimetres; use the precise template dimensions for new production, and the measured object for framing a vintage poster.
At COLONFILM, David Colón and Flor design film posters from Zaragoza. When discussing movie poster design, bring the intended markets and delivery formats into the brief. That lets the central image support the campaign from the beginning.
Digital posters, festivals and VOD requirements
A 2:3 ratio means two units wide for every three units high. It describes shape, not file resolution. A correctly shaped image can still be too small, too compressed or unsuitable for a particular upload. Digital delivery is governed by pixel dimensions, accepted format, colour space, file weight and content rules.
Prime Video's artwork delivery guide, checked on 15 October 2026, lists poster art at 2000 × 3000 pixels, with a 2:3 ratio. It separately lists cover and hero art at 3840 × 2160 pixels, in 16:9. Its general specifications accept JPG or PNG in RGB, with a maximum of 10 MB per asset; title art has its own exception. Confirm the current instructions for your delivery route.
Do not treat those requirements as universal VOD rules. Another platform, distributor or aggregator may ask for different artwork. Even within one service, a poster, background and title graphic can be separate deliverables. Keep a version without text available so the background can be adapted when required.
For festival submissions, FilmFreeway recommends JPG or PNG, 10 MB or smaller, an approximately 1400-pixel longest side and a DPI setting of 300 or smaller. These are its poster-upload recommendations, not a print specification or a mandatory size for every festival.
After selection, ask the festival for its publicity requirements. It may need a separate print file, catalogue image or web asset. Keep submission artwork distinct from exhibition artwork, and only add selection laurels once their wording and use have been confirmed. An upload that succeeds technically is not proof that the poster is ready for a cinema wall.
Bleed, resolution and print-ready files
Keep trim, bleed and safe space separate
Trim is the final cut size. Bleed is extra artwork outside that boundary, allowing small cutting variations without leaving an unintended white edge. Safe space is inside the cut: it protects names, title, logos and credits. Extending the background into bleed does not make text near the edge safe.
As one specific printer example, PrintPlace specifies a 1/8-inch bleed on every side and a 1/8-inch caution zone inside the trim. That bleed equals 3.175 mm; it is not exactly 3 mm. Other suppliers may request different allowances. Use the chosen printer's template rather than adding a remembered amount automatically.
Calculate resolution at the final size
For raster images, effective pixels per inch at the final print size determine how much image detail is available. Printers often describe this as DPI, although printer dots and image pixels are different things. Changing a resolution label without adding real detail does not turn a small image into a sharp large print.
For a worked example at 300 pixels per inch, a 27 × 40 inch poster needs 8100 × 12000 pixels before bleed: multiply each dimension in inches by 300. This is a calculation, not a universal delivery requirement. PrintPlace distinguishes a recommended minimum of 200 DPI for digital printing from 300 DPI for offset printing; ask your supplier what its poster process requires.
Inspect the weakest source image at its placed size, especially a face enlarged beyond the rest of the cast. Keep lettering and logos as vectors where possible. Confirm the required colour profile, PDF settings and font handling with the printer, then inspect an exported proof. Screen brightness alone cannot predict how dark shadows will reproduce on paper.
Build one master that can produce every version
The useful master is an editable collection of elements, not one flattened picture forced into every rectangle. Keep people, background, title, credits and approved logos on separate layers. Preserve background beyond the initial crop and retain the original photographs so later layouts do not depend on reconstructing missing material.
- List deliveries. Record recipient, market, dimensions, orientation, deadline and the source of each specification.
- Choose the central idea. Decide what the audience should understand before arranging supporting details.
- Test contrasting layouts early. Try the required portrait and landscape versions while the design is still flexible.
- Prepare separate exports. Apply each printer or platform's requirements to its own output, including the appropriate credits and language.
- Check the exported files. Reopen them, inspect dimensions and colour settings, read the smallest text and confirm the correct version is being delivered.
File naming should make the destination obvious. Include the film, language, format and revision in the name, and keep the approved version in a clearly labelled delivery folder. Retain a short specification sheet alongside it so the next person can tell whether a file includes bleed or is intended only for digital use.
Size decisions also affect visual style. A symbolic image, a portrait and an ensemble montage offer different cropping flexibility. Our guide to five common types of movie poster design can help you choose an approach. For a coordinated set of print and digital assets, explore our film poster design service with your delivery list ready.
FAQ
What is the standard movie poster size?
The modern US theatrical one-sheet is 27 × 40 inches. Other countries, venues and digital services use different formats, so confirm the recipient's requirements.
Is a 24 × 36 poster a one-sheet?
It is a common commercial poster format, but it is smaller than the modern US theatrical one-sheet and has a slightly different ratio.
Are all movie posters 2:3?
No. A 24 × 36 print is exactly 2:3; a 27 × 40 one-sheet is not. British quads are landscape, and other print formats have other proportions.
What poster size should I upload to a festival?
Follow the submission service and festival instructions. FilmFreeway's upload recommendation is separate from whatever print or publicity files a festival requests after selection.
Can one file work for print and streaming?
One layered master can supply both. Export separate files with the dimensions, colour settings, text and technical specifications required by each destination.