Cross-Fertilizations: European Literature and Hollywood Cinema (and Vice Versa)

Dear Colleagues,

The cross-fertilization between European literature and Hollywood cinema has generated innovative forms of storytelling, reshaped genres, and challenged artistic boundaries across continents.

Throughout the history of narrative film, literary sources of all kinds have served as a crucial reference point. Stories, characters, and themes are reworked in the service of cinema, narrative techniques and modes of expressions are refashioned to fit the logic of the screen, and literary modes of expression are conveyed to a broader audience by the popular attraction of film. However, the influence between these arts has not been unilateral. Cinematic modes have influenced new types of literary imaginations, reshaped genres, and inspired new literary styles and narrative forms. Futhermore, although the production, distribution, and consumption practices of literature and cinema operate according to a different logic, there are also considerable overlaps and cultural exchange.

While the academic literature on adaptation is rich and continues to expand, there is still much to be explored regarding the artistic and cultural impulses that move between Europe and Hollywood, especially beyond the Hollywood adaptations of English-language literary classics such as William Shakespeare or Jane Austen’s work. We seek contributions that explore various forms of interrelations between literature and cinema across the Atlantic. The direction of influence can go both ways: cinematic practices that have literature as their base, or literary works that use modes and techniques drawn from cinema.

While we welcome examinations that bring esthetic expressions and artistic attributes in the two arts to the fore, we also encourage studies engaged in (historical) reception, as well as industry-oriented approaches, biographical examinations, and other possible explorations. Although we are primarily looking for articles that deal with literature and film, we will consider proposals on TV drama as well.

The following list of topics may serve as inspiration:

• Twice-adapted Hollywood remakes of European literature;
• From European national theatres to Broadway and Hollywood;
• The myth of Hollywood in European literature;
• Cinematic narrative and European fiction techniques;
• Trans-Atlantic authors and auteurs;
• Hollywood’s favourite European authors;
• Hollywood cinema as a portal to European literature;
• Hollywood’s translation of minor European cultures.

All articles will be published as open access. Please send a 300-word abstract, as well as sources and a brief biography to the editors: Prof. Dr. Audun Engelstad (audun.engelstad@inn.no), Prof. Dr. Andrew Spicer (andrew2.spicer@uwe.ac.uk), and Ms. Yue Xiao (yue.xiao@mdpi.com). The deadline for abstracts is [1 February 2026]. Please use the subject line “Cross_Fertilization_Europe_Hollywood_Name_Title”.

Prof. Dr. Audun Engelstad
Prof. Dr. Andrew Spicer
Guest Editors

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• European literature
• Hollywood cinema
• cross-fertilization