AMSTERDAMNED II KEY ART EXPLORATION

Johan J Nel and I pitched for the key art of Amsterdamned II, the long-awaited sequel to Dick Maas’ cult classic from 1988. The film will be released by Splendid Film this December and stepping into the visual world of such an iconic Dutch title was equal parts nostalgic and liberating.

Instead of leaning on the familiar 80s look of the original, I wanted to pull the franchise into the present. A fresh visual identity. A new visual language. Something that treats Amsterdamned II as a contemporary action-thriller with a dark pulse not a museum piece. Let’s be honest: an entire generation has never even heard of the first film, so the artwork needed to stand on its own legs.

The concepts you see here are built from a mix of photography, generative AI and graphic design, not as a gimmick, but as a practical way to explore ideas fast, break them apart, rebuild them and push the mood into unexpected corners. That hybrid workflow lets me prototype atmospheres the same way you would explore light on set: quickly, intuitively, and always with room for a better idea to surface.

I also chose not to put the lead characters front and center. The essence of Amsterdamned has always been its tension, the paranoia creeping through the canals, the water as both a setting and a threat. So the posters focus on mood, silhouettes, reflections, distortions… things that raise questions rather than answer them. Suspense first, story second.

These are explorations, moments in a bigger creative conversation, but they represent exactly what I love about visual storytelling today: the ability to blend craft, technology and instinct, and to build worlds that feel both cinematic and slightly off-balance.