--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a lot of similarities, I think…" description: "\"There's a lot of similarities, I think, between a thriller and a comedy because it's all about tension. It's about building tension and setups and payo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/jon-watts-9849_building_there-s-a-lot-of-similarities-i-think-be_326942.jpg" --- # There's a lot of similarities, I think, between a thriller… ![“There's a lot of similarities, I think, between a thriller and a comedy because it's all about tension. It's about building tension and setups and payoffs and misdirections and surprising people and sort of pushing the boundary.” quote by Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/jon-watts-9849_building_there-s-a-lot-of-similarities-i-think-be_326942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/jon-watts-9849_building_there-s-a-lot-of-similarities-i-think-be_326942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/jon-watts-9849_building_there-s-a-lot-of-similarities-i-think-be_326942.jpg) > “There's a lot of similarities, I think, between a thriller and a comedy because it's all about tension. It's about building tension and setups and payoffs and misdirections and surprising people and sort of pushing the boundary.” [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thrillers and comedies share a core of tension, setup, and surprise to engage audiences **In simple terms:** Both genres rely on tension and surprise Key Takeaway Use tension to keep audiences engaged Themes storytelling genre tension Mood energetic playful Type educational creative When to use this quote - film scripts - stand‑up comedy - marketing campaigns - game design Key Concepts narrative structure comic timing Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance tension without exhausting the audience? - What techniques keep humor fresh under pressure? A Different Perspective Comedy may dilute seriousness, thriller may over‑intensify tension ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thriller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thriller/) ## Related quotes > [ I think the thriller aspect of this film \[Fifty Shades Darker\] is what excited me most. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-heathcote/i-think-the-thriller-aspect-of-this-film-fifty-shades-darker-is-what/) [Bella Heathcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-heathcote/) > [Anybody who sits down to write, and they think 'thriller,' maybe shouldn't be thinking that way. Maybe we should be thinking 'novel,' maybe 'thriller'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrell/anybody-who-sits-down-to-write-and-they-think-thriller-maybe-shouldn/) [David Morrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrell/) > [Even if it's a thriller or a comedy, it's always a love story for me, and that's what I concentrate on, because the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/even-if-it-s-a-thriller-or-a-comedy-it-s-always-a-love-story-for-me/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [One of the interesting things about comedy is it's tension release, and nothing creates tension faster than anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/one-of-the-interesting-things-about-comedy-is-it-s-tension-release/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“The first great thriller of 2017 is almost here: Final Girls, by Riley Sager. If you liked Gone Girl, you’ll like this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-first-great-thriller-of-2017-is-almost-here-final-girls-by-riley/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“A magic Adam never knew existed, yet he must somehow control it to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nowaz/a-magic-adam-never-knew-existed-yet-he-must-somehow-control-it-to/) [Max Nowaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nowaz/) > [“If you behave as if you are all right, then one day you will be. You have to go through the motions of surviving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicci-french/if-you-behave-as-if-you-are-all-right-then-one-day-you-will-be-you/) [Nicci French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicci-french/) > [“Havens turned again. Someone else passed between the trucks. That someone walked with less purpose than the other workers near the stalls. To Havens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-patten/havens-turned-again-someone-else-passed-between-the-trucks-that/) J.T. Patten > [“Pape called Basil his sanctuary. In truth we all exist in our own sanctuaries-but I don't mean cathedrals or prisons. I'm talking about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/pape-called-basil-his-sanctuary-in-truth-we-all-exist-in-our-own/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [It's not a monster movie. It's a supernatural thriller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-wood/it-s-not-a-monster-movie-it-s-a-supernatural-thriller/) [Ed Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-wood/) > [If you're going to reach for it, reach all the way for it. Albums like 'Purple Rain' and 'Thriller' and those kind of records,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sitek/if-you-re-going-to-reach-for-it-reach-all-the-way-for-it-albums-like/) [Dave Sitek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sitek/) > [“Payne sought clarification. “Vertical or horizontal?” “Horizontal, of course.” “Sorry but I can’t help you.” “Will you pipe down for a minute? Naturally she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-lynskey/payne-sought-clarification-vertical-or-horizontal-horizontal-of/) [Ed Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-lynskey/) > [“You don’t look like much, but they say you murdered that other chick.” Treating Murder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-black/you-don-t-look-like-much-but-they-say-you-murdered-that-other-chick/) Gabrielle Black > [No Time For Goodbye is a deliciously smart thriller, full of surprises and perfect pacing. I'm jealous I didn't write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alafair-burke/no-time-for-goodbye-is-a-deliciously-smart-thriller-full-of-surprises/) [Alafair Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alafair-burke/) > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) ## More by Jon Watts > [I wouldn't say that I was a Spider-Man super fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-wouldn-t-say-that-i-was-a-spider-man-super-fan/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [Film is a temporal medium as much as it is a visual medium: you're playing with time, and you don't have that ability where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/film-is-a-temporal-medium-as-much-as-it-is-a-visual-medium-you-re/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [It's all about making an experience. You go to the movies to see something you've never seen before. You want to get different people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/it-s-all-about-making-an-experience-you-go-to-the-movies-to-see/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [I had a recurring stress dream since I was a kid 10 years old. My friend Travis is driving, and I'm afraid we're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-had-a-recurring-stress-dream-since-i-was-a-kid-10-years-old-my/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [Talking to someone you have a crush on is as scary as fighting a super-villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/talking-to-someone-you-have-a-crush-on-is-as-scary-as-fighting-a/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [I think it helps if you have a clear vision of what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-think-it-helps-if-you-have-a-clear-vision-of-what-you-want/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [I've always pre-vized my movies, just on my own. Even when it was, like, zero-budget things, I used this programme to do storyboards because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-ve-always-pre-vized-my-movies-just-on-my-own-even-when-it-was-like/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [If you think about it, now that Spider-Man is in the Marvel universe, that means that Peter Parker was probably, like, eight years old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/if-you-think-about-it-now-that-spider-man-is-in-the-marvel-universe/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [I have a tendency to check out when the stakes are too high in a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-have-a-tendency-to-check-out-when-the-stakes-are-too-high-in-a-movie/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [When you're getting to do what you want to do, you just assume you're going to hit a point where someone is like, 'No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/when-you-re-getting-to-do-what-you-want-to-do-you-just-assume-you-re/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [I only realized I could potentially make movies after seeing 'Ed Wood.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-only-realized-i-could-potentially-make-movies-after-seeing-ed-wood/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [I just remember having the President's Fitness Challenge when I was in elementary school and middle school. You had to do different activities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-just-remember-having-the-president-s-fitness-challenge-when-i-was/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [I didn't even think anyone would want to make 'Cop Car,' and then I didn't think anyone would want to distribute 'Cop Car,' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/i-didn-t-even-think-anyone-would-want-to-make-cop-car-and-then-i-didn/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [If Spider-Man is your ground level superhero, I wanted to come up with a ground-level villain. I wanted to figure out if I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/if-spider-man-is-your-ground-level-superhero-i-wanted-to-come-up-with/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) > [What's nice about having kids close to the age they're playing is that you can actually capture awkwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-watts/what-s-nice-about-having-kids-close-to-the-age-they-re-playing-is/) [Jon Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) [Explore all 69 Jon Watts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-watts/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a lot of similarities, I think, between a thriller and a comedy because it's all about tension. 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