The long-lasting rivalry between the two franchises has been brewing ever since the beginning of their phenomenal success. In 1997, the world was introduced to the riveting world of wizards when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was released. While sitting in a train back to London, J.K. Rowling’s creatively inclined senses were working at its best when she came up with the idea of a wizard boy. Little did she know the fame, fortune, and worldwide acclaim the little black-haired boy with spectacles would bring. The word “muggle” was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2003. From there, we have followed the adventures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione for 14 years. Not only do the books capture the attention of readers of all ages, but reveals the true meaning of friendship, love, enduring hope, and will power.


In 2005, thousands of young girls were pulled into the fascinating world of vampires and werewolves. Stephenie Meyer writes about Bella, a teenage girl who falls deeply in love with Edward, a vampire. When things become shaky, Bella turns to the werewolf, Jacob, creating a love triangle. The frenzy was pushed over the top when the adapted film was released in 2008, producing screaming fans that could deafen one’s ears. No doubt, the books and movies garnished huge achievement and recognition.


Both franchises are at their quintessence of fame and success, but which one is truly better? Beginning with plot, the stories of the series are remarkably interesting and will have one zipping through the books in no time. However, it’s the way the books are written that gives Harry Potter the upper hand. A fifth grader can reach the same meaning and concept of Twilight as oppose to a teenager or young adult who has read the book. In contrast, Harry Potter is easy for children to read but has much meaning, depth, and references that a more mature reader can extract, appealing to a broad audience. Twilight mostly appeals to young teenage girls; you can hardly find a boy who reads Twilight, let alone admit he does. Stephen King stated, "the real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer, and Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good." Additionally, J.K. Rowling grants Hermione, the female heroine, a strong, girl-powered, and independent personality. In the books, we see her as being the smartest of her class and constantly coming in to rescue her friends, Harry and Ron. On the other hand, Bella is seen as a damsel in distress whose life revolves around Edward. In the second book, when Edward leaves, Bella becomes lonely, reserved, and stressed, revealing her dependence on her boyfriend. She cannot live without Edward being there to protect her and relies heavily on him.


Now we move onto the film series of the books. The acting in both is decent. Stars from Harry Potter and Twilight are known everywhere in the world today. Daniel Radcliffe was named one of the richest actors in the world with his fellow cast-mates not far behind. The Twilight stars are also one of the highest paid actors and actresses of their age. Nevertheless, Emma Watson stands out the most due to her impressive acting abilities. British actor, Robert Pattinson, actually played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2004. Through its years, both film series received numerous awards for its success in the movie industry. Harry Potter was nominated for a total of nine Academy Awards since the 2011 Oscars while Twilight was nominated for none. Instead, Twilight received a few Razzie nominations, which is an award presented in recognition of the worst in film. Out of all the movies, Harry Potter holds an average rating of 83% and Twilight with an average of 43% according to Rotten Tomatoes, each with similar statistics from other film critics. In the list of highest-grossing film series of all time, Harry Potter reaches number one, with Twilight shortly behind at number 13.


All in all, Harry Potter and Twilight are franchises that are one of the most successful and highest-grossing films in the world with equally devoted fans. Their captivating stories have created a whole other world that readers are able to fill with their imagination. The debate of which one is better will never end, but in this case, Harry Potter wins by a long shot.