Marvel’s Captain America Civil War poster: An analysis based on the Grammar of Visual Design

Movie posters, a multimodal genre used to attract viewers, are complex form of communication that contains verbal and visual semiotic resources. The entertainment company Marvel has created cinematic universe where movie posters play an essential role in marketing. Despite Marvel’s global influence sociocultural practices, few studies investigate its posters. Hence, this study analyzes the structures Captain America: Civil War theatrical poster, drawing on Grammar Visual Design, specifically representational, interactive, compositional metafunctions. Regarding representational metafunction, results show bidirectional transaction, highlighting faceoff between two teams heroes. Their symmetry also hints at classificational processes. Concerning interactional meanings, heroes gaze each other, inviting viewers observe image from social distance while keeping some detachment. Moreover, camera angle creates equal power relation main viewers. Finally, meanings strengthen separation through different elements, but they simultaneously indicate will reunite. Thus, these three kinds together provide adequate summary plot aptly contribute construal future conflict teams.