A semiotic analysis of Wes Anderson film posters in the context of auteur director cinema

This thesis aims to examine the film posters of contemporary auteur director Wes Anderson from a semiotic perspective. The study seeks to reveal how the visual elements used in Anderson's posters relate to his auteur identity. In this context, it is proposed that the posters be regarded as independent visual texts that carry the director's artistic signature. The research is designed within a qualitative framework, employing Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic analysis method. The analysis was applied to the original posters of 13 films released by Wes Anderson between 1996 and 2025. Each poster was analyzed in terms of denotative, connotative, and mythic/ideological layers of meaning, and its connection to the director's auteur identity was examined at both aesthetic and thematic levels. This study demonstrates that Wes Anderson's film posters serve as a visual extension of his auteur identity. The posters should be evaluated not merely as commercial promotional materials but as visual texts with independent layers of meaning that reflect the director's aesthetic and narrative world. The thesis offers an interdisciplinary contribution to film studies, visual communication, and graphic design, emphasizing the role of visual materials in constructing the brand identity of auteur directors.