Alan Williams distinguishes three main genre categories: narrative, avant-garde, and documentary. With the proliferation of particular genres, film subgenres can also emerge: the legal drama, for example, is a sub-genre of drama that includes courtroom- and trial-focused films.

One of the most popular genres, action movies are usually loaded with high-octane action sequences, fights, stunts and chase sequences. These films usually follow a good vs. bad plot and include larger-than-life sequences that include a lot of physical fighting and use of weaponry.

Movie genre distribution in the U.S. & Canada 2010-2023, by box office market share. Throughout 2023, the action movie genre accounted for 34 percent of the box office revenue in the United States and Canada, collectively known as the North American film market.

How many movie genres are there? There are 13 basic movie genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Thriller, Mystery, War, and Western. Then, there are more than 90 movie subgenres, ranging from space travel sci-fi to contemporary westerns.