Harry Potter was a smash hit about a boy discovering he’s a wizard and going to school in a magical world full of wonder and adventure. Twilight didn’t hit quite that high a note, but the story of a teenage girl who learns her classmate is a vampire and falls in love with him did quite well. The Hunger Games popularized the dystopian genre with a bow wielding teenager stepping up to survive death games, have angsty romances, and fight the power.
As far as I can tell, nothing has quite hit that same kind of high since and it may be awhile until the next truly big wave. But if it were up to you, what would the next big thing be about?
It’s categorization. Basic tribalism.
I fully believe Harry Potter wouldn’t have had as lasting a fandom as it has had without the 4 Houses to be sorted into.
Even though the books/movies make it seem like Gryffindor are the good guys, Slytherin are the bad guys, and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are just filler, having basic, desirable traits makes it so everyone can pick their house and feel like they’re on a team.
Hunger Games and Twilight didn’t really have that, so while they were hits for other reasons, they didn’t have the staying power of HP. Or, for another example, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Aang is the protagonist and an Airbender, but the show goes out of its way to show interesting, likeable characters for each bending style, and even non-bending (Sokka).
The next big thing needs an interesting premise, likeable characters, and a way for people to pick their team.