They are shot on high-definition digital cameras--with computer-generated effects added in postproduction--and transmitted to theaters, websites, and video-on-demand networks worldwide. They are viewed on laptop, iPod, and cell phone screens. They are movies in the 21st century--the product of digital technologies that have revolutionized media production, content distribution, and the experience of moviegoing itself.

21st-Century Hollywood introduces readers to these global transformations and describes the decisive roles that Hollywood is playing in determining the digital...