What Are the Different Types of Movie Genres That Exist Today?
“What’s your favorite scary movie?”
This iconic line, delivered by Roger L. Jackson in the opening scene of Scream (1996), establishes that the film you’re about to watch has a particular focus. It’s about scary movies—in other words, the horror genre.
The word genre is often applied to fantasy, sci-fi, and horror movies. Those are considered “genre films,” but the truth is, a genre is just a category. There are many types of movie genres.
When you hear the phrase “scary movie,” a half-dozen examples of the genre probably come to mind–just like you can quickly think of a few examples of action movies or romantic comedies.
Keep reading to learn more about the many genres you can find in the entertainment industry.
Action
Everyone is familiar with the idea of the summer blockbuster—that big-budget, must-see movie that packs the theater every weekend for a month. Most of those films belong to the action genre.
Action movies range from sci-fi epics like Avatar and the Marvel Cinematic Universe to more realistic (and often more brutal) thrillers like the John Wick franchise. If a movie has fist fights and explosions, it’s an action film.
These are some of the best films in terms of broad audience appeal–many of the highest-grossing films in history are action movies.
Drama
On the opposite end of the spectrum from action, we have drama. Drama films often focus more on individual characters and their struggles, relying less on flashy effects and exciting visuals.
While action movies have undeniable box office draw, dramas are the best films when it comes to winning awards. It’s rare for films outside the drama genre to get Oscar nominations.
That may be because of the range and depth of emotion actors can showcase in a drama—these films offer performers the opportunity to show off many types of acting.
Comedy
Sometimes, you don’t want to deal with the adrenaline rush of an action film or the emotional turmoil of a good drama. In those cases, you may want to turn to comedy.
Comedy is a reliable film genre in part because it’s very malleable—you can fit comedy into nearly any kind of show or film.
There are romantic comedies like The Princess Bride, buddy-cop comedies like 21 Jump Street, and more. Even the Gunsmoke cast got in on comedy from time to time; this genre blends well with anything!
Horror
Horror is a very broad genre, encompassing all kinds of scary movies. This highly versatile genre is well-known for how many specialized sub-genres it contains.
The ’80s saw the rise of the slasher sub-genre thanks to movies like Friday the 13th; before that, monster movies from studios like Universal and Hammer were all the rage.
Today, the genre is seeing a rise in so-called elevated horror like Jordan Peele’s Get Out. This sub-genre uses the medium of horror films to examine social issues.
Knowing the Types of Movie Genres
Understanding the different types of movie genres can help you pick a movie on your next date night or find films that suit your interests. There are no best movie genres—just genres that you do or don’t enjoy!
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