What genre is ‘Harry Potter’?

Spell-casting, Muggle-shaming, and wand-yielding are just a few elements that make up the wondrous Wizarding World in the ever-popular Harry Potter franchise. Even years after the film franchise officially ended, folks cannot seem to get enough of the Potter lore that was a staple of many of our childhoods — but what exact category does it fall under?

Of course, when it comes to the unwavering onslaught of beloved topics in entertainment, categories such as comedies, romances, musicals, and other eye-popping forms of media are much more followed. And yet, it would be a huge understatement to say that the Harry Potter narrative is exceptionally widespread — with both the novels and movies still being indulged in to this very day. Even despite J.K. Rowling’s popularity notably tanking over the years due to transphobic remarks, the unmovable allure of the franchise has kept fans sucked in with no signs of disinterest or expected fatigue.

But with all of the witchcraft, wizardry, and outright magical chaos showcased in all entertainment forms of the story, perhaps now is as good a time as ever to fully address just what the engaging narrative should actually be categorized as. 

So, what genre is Harry Potter?

Without a doubt, the biggest genre that Harry Potter perfectly showcases is fantasy. I mean, wasn’t the endless parade of spells, wands, dragons, goblins, hobbits, and other fantasy elements and creatures enough of a clue? That’s not to say that it all isn’t completely entertaining, but it’s definitely obvious that the Potter lore is crawling with a variety of fantasy traits — but that’s what we love about it, after all.

But taking a step back from the seemingly endless sea of magic, it’s certainly hard to disagree with the notion that later novels and movies in the franchise have a particularly dark twist to them. In fact, one could even argue that these projects echo elements of true crime and drama, with the later novels and movies including a larger amount of death, betrayal, despair, and sadness. 

Even more so, with the questionable antics committed in these later projects, one could also argue elements of mystery have been thrown into the mix, with one YouTuber even insisting that the acclaimed novels are simply “mystery books disguised as fantasy books.” Of course, it’s all a matter of opinion as to what exactly the franchise should specifically be categorized under, but nevertheless, its pulse-pounding sequences and beloved characters have kept it in the spotlight for decades now.