I remember someone believed that there were eight basic storylines and any story could be placed in one of the eight.
This is the bread and butter of superhero movies, action franchises, and many horror films.
Examples: Marvel and DC superhero films, many streaming action series, horror reboots.
Why it’s popular: Clear stakes, simple good vs. evil, easy to market globally.
Post-COVID trend: These blockbusters dominate streaming libraries and theaters because they’re “safe bets” for mass appeal and brand recognition.
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2. The Quest
Big journeys or missions — traveling to find or save something.
Examples: Fantasy/adventure series on Netflix or Amazon (e.g., The Witcher), sci-fi epics like Stranger Things (which mixes quest with other elements).
Why it’s popular: Supports long-form storytelling and serialized formats, keeps viewers hooked season after season.
Post-COVID trend: Streaming platforms invest heavily in franchise-building quest stories that can be expanded across seasons or spin-offs.
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3. Rags to Riches (and sometimes Rebirth)
Stories about transformation or rise — often in dramas, romances, or biopics.
Examples: Reality-based shows, feel-good movies, or character-driven limited series.
Why it’s popular: Relatable and emotionally satisfying, appeals to broad demographics.
Post-COVID trend: Streaming services use these to diversify their catalog and appeal to niche audiences with uplifting or inspirational stories.<> According to AI, we're down to three storylines.
Except for Adam Sandler, we're not really seeing comedy and a huge % of movies was made with that storyline.
My favorite is "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back."