“Cradle 2 the Grave” / 「ブラック・ダイヤモンド」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 2003, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) F272
This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the Japanese release of Cradle 2 the Grave / 「ブラック・ダイヤモンド」, Andrzej Bartkowiak’s 2003 action thriller starring Jet Li and DMX.
Released in Japan under the more direct and visually marketable title Black Diamond, the film combines martial arts, crime, hip-hop culture, and large-scale urban action in a distinctly early-2000s Warner Bros. production.
Film background
Professional thief Anthony Fait and his crew steal a cache of rare black diamonds, unaware that the stones are connected to an international arms conspiracy.
When Fait’s daughter is kidnapped by the ruthless criminal Ling, he is forced into an uneasy alliance with Taiwanese intelligence agent Su, who possesses the martial arts ability and specialist knowledge needed to recover both the child and the stolen diamonds.
Their pursuit leads through Los Angeles nightclubs, underground fighting rings, prisons, vehicle chases, and explosive confrontations as the true military significance of the stones is revealed.
Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, the film was written by John O’Brien and Channing Gibson. It stars Jet Li, DMX, Anthony Anderson, Kelly Hu, Gabrielle Union, Mark Dacascos, Tom Arnold, and Drag-On.
The film followed the commercial success of Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds, continuing the period’s popular fusion of Hong Kong martial arts performers, American action cinema, and hip-hop stars.
Poster design
The poster uses a bold, high-contrast composition dominated by enormous portraits of Jet Li and DMX.
Jet Li appears at left wearing narrow dark sunglasses, a black leather jacket, and a beaded necklace. His pale, almost overexposed portrait creates a sharp visual contrast with the darker image of DMX behind him.
DMX occupies the upper-right section, staring directly outward with an intense, confrontational expression. The overlapping portraits immediately establish the film’s central partnership between disciplined martial arts precision and street-level criminal force.
Across the top appears the red headline:
「鑑定評価、100カラットの凶器。」
“Appraised value: a 100-carat weapon.”
The line plays on the stolen black diamonds while hinting at their far more dangerous purpose.
The names of the two principal stars appear in red above the title:
「ジェット・リー DMX」
The centre of the poster is dominated by the monumental English title:
“BLACK DIAMOND”
rendered in large white block lettering. A stylised diamond graphic replaces part of the typography, reinforcing the Japanese release title.
Beneath it appears the Japanese title:
「ブラック ダイヤモンド」
The lower margin contains the principal cast and production credits, followed by a band of action imagery from the film. These scenes include Jet Li in combat, an explosion, and a quad bike launching across an urban rooftop, providing a compact preview of the film’s martial arts and vehicle stunt sequences.
The stark cream, black, white, and red palette gives the poster a particularly strong early-2000s action aesthetic.
Release note
This poster was printed for the film’s original Japanese theatrical release in 2003 and distributed in Japan by Warner Bros.
It is a standard Japanese B2-size theatrical poster, measuring approximately:
51.5 × 72.8 cm / 20 × 28.7 inches
It is an original period Japanese cinema poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.
Condition
Excellent condition. A highly attractive example, with strong photographic imagery, deep black tones, clear typography, and excellent overall display impact.
There are only light signs of age and handling consistent with an original Japanese theatrical poster from this period, but overall it presents extremely well.
Reference: F272.
Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.
This is an original 2003 Japanese theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is now over 20 years old.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
