Imagined Audiences: A Comparison Between Posters in the Chinese and American Markets of the Same Hollywood Films

Hollywood films have attracted a substantial audience in the Chinese movie market. Catering to local regulations and the tastes of Chinese audiences, Hollywood studios often adjust film content and release posters that are distinct from those in the American market. However, as an integral part of films containing rich sociocultural information, film posters have remained understudied. Informed by visual grammar theory, this study aims to identify the differences between the Chinese and American posters of Hollywood films and the underlying sociocultural reasons through the lens of interactive meaning, modality, and compositional meaning. Based on the preliminary analysis, differences in visual hierarchy, character representation, gender representation, and tagline styles have been identified.