->''"No mere mortal can resist... the e-vil of the Thriller!"''
-->-- '''VincentPrice''', Music/MichaelJackson's "Music/{{Thriller}}"

A thriller is a genre in visual media and literature which focuses on action, fast pacing, tension, and suspense. The [[RuleOfDrama conflicts]] are usually between desperate heroes and powerful antagonists who outmatch them by large margin. Frequent location changes, [[RaceAgainstTheClock time shortage]], and {{Cliffhanger}}s are extremely common.

Thrillers can overlap with almost any other genre. They are more defined by their plot and devices than by their content. They can be identified by [[ShapedLikeItself the thrills]] the work gives to the reader or viewer.

Modern incarnations of Thrillers seem to overlap more and more often with the {{Horror}} and ScienceFiction genres, leading to a misclassification of all Thrillers as being Horror, Science Fiction, or both.

Not to be confused with either the Music/MichaelJackson [[Music/{{Thriller}} album]] or the old Creator/BorisKarloff-hosted anthology series, nor yet the 1970s British anthology series. Although the Michael Jackson music video ''does'' slightly fit in.
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!!{{Subgenre}}s

* ConspiracyThriller
** BritishConspiracyThriller
* PsychologicalThriller
* SpyFiction
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!!{{Trope}}s often associated with the genre

* {{Cliffhanger}}
** WhatCliffhanger
* MadLibThrillerTitle
* TheReveal
** TheUnReveal
* TitleIn: Used to make sure the audience doesn't get confused by frequent location changes.
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!!Examples
Anime and Manga
* ''Manga/{{Monster}}'', overlapping with horror.
* ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain'', overlapping with Horror and Cyberpunk.

Film
* ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'', overlapping with Horror.
* ''TheBlackDahlia''
* ''Franchise/TheBourneSeries'', overlapping with Action.
* ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga'' is a {{Thriller}} mixed with superhero and [[FilmNoir neo-noir]]. Each of the movies qualifies in different ways:
** ''Film/BatmanBegins'' fits this genre in the second half of the movie, as the first half focused on Batman's origins.
** ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is a crime {{thriller}} throughout the whole movie.
** ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' is a {{thriller}} mixed with DisasterMovie elements.
* ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober''
* ''Film/JacobsLadder'', overlapping with horror.
* ''Franchise/JurassicPark'', overlapping with Horror and Science Fiction.
* ''Film/KindergartenCop'', overlapping with comedy.
* ''Film/TheMatrix'', overlapping with Cyberpunk.
* ''Film/ThePurge'', overlapping with Horror and Science Fiction
* ''Film/ReservoirDogs'', overlapping with Crime And Punishment.
* ''TheSilenceOfTheLambs'', overlapping with Horror.
* ''Film/TheSixthSense''
* ''Film/StrangersOnATrain''
* ''Film/TheTransporter'', overlapping with Action.
* ''{{Unbreakable}}''

Literature
* ''Literature/{{Airframe}}'', specifically, a techno-thriller.
* ''Literature/BadMonkeys''.

LiveActionTV
* ''Series/{{Scandal}}'', overlapping with politics and drama.
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