“The Cannonball Run” (キャノンボール), Rare Original Japanese Budweiser Promotional Poster 1981, Burt Reynolds / Jackie Chan, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) T51

This is an original Japanese B2 promotional tie-in poster for the 1981 release of The Cannonball Run, combining the film’s illustrated ensemble artwork with Budweiser’s distinctive red-and-white branding. The design brings together cinema advertising, automotive imagery, and beer-label graphics on a single sheet.

Film background

Directed by Hal Needham, The Cannonball Run follows an eccentric collection of competitors taking part in an unofficial race across the United States. Its cast includes Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Chan, and Michael Hui, with elaborate stunts and comic rivalries driving the action. The film opened in Japan in December 1981.

Poster design

The outer design transforms the sheet into an oversized Budweiser label. An elaborate Anheuser-Busch “AB” crest dominates the upper section, surrounded by decorative banners, brewing text, and the “Budweiser Lager Beer” name.

Large white “GENUINE” lettering runs along both red side borders. Below the illustration, “The No.1 American Beer.” completes the advertising frame, giving the poster a strong identity as a commercial collaboration.

Within this border, a colourful painted montage presents the film’s cast. Burt Reynolds appears near the top wearing a Cannonball Run cap, alongside Roger Moore and a prominently positioned Jackie Chan. Farrah Fawcett, illustrated in a bright pink jumpsuit, provides the central figure around which the supporting portraits and action scenes are arranged.

Aircraft, motorcycles, and other stunt imagery fill the lower montage. A crowded lineup of vehicles stretches across the base, with a red Lamborghini Countach projecting forward beneath the enormous Japanese title.

The angled red lettering キャノンボール — Cannonball echoes the surrounding Budweiser colour scheme, visually connecting the film artwork to its advertising frame.

About Japanese promotional posters

Measuring approximately 51 × 73 cm, this B2 combines film promotion with a separate consumer brand campaign. The prominent Budweiser graphics and small Towa distributor mark preserve the relationship between the film’s Japanese marketing and its commercial tie-in.

Rarity and significance

A distinctive promotional variant with appeal for collectors of The Cannonball Run, Jackie Chan, Burt Reynolds, automotive cinema, and vintage Budweiser advertising. Its unusual combination of illustrated film artwork and elaborate beer-label graphics gives it considerable display presence.

Condition

Very Good+ to Excellent. Previously folded, subsequently stored flat. Small scattered spots and light marks are present on the reverse.

The front retains vivid reds, clear lettering, and strong detail throughout the ensemble illustration, with very attractive overall display appeal.

Please review all photographs, including the reverse, as they show the exact poster for sale.

It is over 44 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.