List of teen films

Teen film is a film genre targeted at teenagers and young adults in which the plot is based upon the lives of teenagers and young adults, such as coming of age, first love, rebellion, conflict with parents, teen angst, and alienation and other topics / issues in the personal and professional lives of teenagers and young adults. Some of these films are targeted at adults as well as teenagers. Teen films have been a trope of the cinema industry that grew in popularity in the 1950s. At this time, the film industry saw a greater market for teens with more disposable income and therefore more money to spend on leisure activities, largely going to films. Because of the boom in teen viewers, drive-in movie theaters were also very popular. However, teen films have been produced since the dawn of the 20th century. Recently, online streaming services such as Netflix have created a resurgence in the "tween" and teenage-oriented film.

Subgenres

Teen fantasy and science fiction

Franchises

• The NeverEnding Story film series (1984-1994)
• Back to the Future (1985–present)
• Bill & Ted (1989–present)
• Class of 1999 (1990) and Class of 1999 II: The Substitute (1994)
• Jumanji franchise (1995–present)
• Halloweentown (1998–2006)
• Harry Potter film series (2001–2011)
• The Chronicles of Narnia (2005-2010)
• Shrek (2001-present)
• Spider-Man (2002-present)
• The Twilight Saga (2008-2012)
• Kick-Ass (2010) and Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
• How to Train Your Dragon (2010–2019)
• Percy Jackson film series (2010-2013)
• The Divergent Series (2014-2016)
• The Hunger Games film series (2012–present)
• Maze Runner film series (2014-2018)
• Fantastic Beasts (2016–2022)

Stand-Alone

Teen animated films

Teen horror and horror-comedy

Franchises

• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise (1974–2022)
• Black Christmas franchise (1974–2019)
• Carrie franchise (1976–2013)
• Halloween franchise (1978–2022)
• Piranha franchise (1978-2012)
• When a Stranger Calls franchise (1979–2006)
• Friday the 13th franchise (1980–2009)
• Prom Night franchise (1980–2008)
• The Slumber Party Massacre (1982), Slumber Party Massacre II (1987), Slumber Party Massacre III (1990) and Slumber Party Massacre (2021)
• The Sleepaway Camp franchise (1983–2012)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise (1984–2010)
• Children of the Corn franchise (1984–2020)
• Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise (1984–2012)
• Fright Night (1985), Fright Night Part 2 (1988), Fright Night (2011), and Fright Night 2: New Blood (2013)
• Return of the Living Dead franchise (1985–2005)
• Teen Wolf franchise (1985–2023)
• The Lost Boys franchise (1987–2010)
• Night of the Demons (1988), Night of the Demons 2 (1994), Night of the Demons 3 (1997), & Night of the Demons (2009)
• Scream franchise (1996–present)
• I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise (1997–present)
• Urban Legend franchise (1998–present)
• Final Destination franchise (2000–present)
• Scary Movie franchise (2000–2013)
• Ginger Snaps (2000), Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) and Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004)
• Cabin Fever franchise (2002–2016)
• The Ring franchise (2002–2017)
• Wrong Turn franchise (2003–2021)
• Zombieland franchise (2009–2019)
• My Super Psycho Sweet 16 franchise (2009–2012)
• The Fear Street Trilogy (2021)

Stand-Alone

Teen musicals

Franchises

• A Cinderella Story film series (2004–2021)
• Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010)
• Center Stage (2000), Center Stage: Turn It Up (2008) and Center Stage: On Pointe (2016)
• The Cheetah Girls (2003), The Cheetah Girls 2 (2006) and The Cheetah Girls: One World (2008)
• Descendants (2015), Descendants 2 (2017) and Descendants 3 (2019)
• Dirty Dancing (1987), Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) and Dirty Dancing (2017)
• Fame (1980) and Fame (2009)
• Footloose (1984) and Footloose (2011)
• Grease (1978) and Grease 2 (1982)
• Hairspray (1988) and Hairspray (2007)
• High School Musical (2006), High School Musical 2 (2007) and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
• Pitch Perfect (2012), Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) and Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)
• Teen Beach Movie (2013) and Teen Beach 2 (2015)
• Zombies (2018) and Zombies 2 (2020)
• West Side Story (1961) and West Side Story (2021)
• Valley Girl (1983) and Valley Girl (2020)

Stand-Alone

• Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004)
• Coyote Ugly (2000)
• Cry-Baby (1990)
• Flashdance (1983)
• Freaky Friday (2018)
• Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
• Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure (2011)
• Sing Street (2016)
• Spin (2021)
• Summer Forever (2015)
• The Prom (2020)
• Teen Spirit (2018)
• Downfalls High (2021)
• Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
• A Week Away (2021)
• Metal Lords (2022)
• Mean Girls (2024)

Teen comedy and teen drama

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

See also

• Teen drama - List of teen dramas
• Teen magazine - List of teen magazines
• Teen pop
• Teen sitcom - List of teen sitcoms

References

Sources

• Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen (2006). Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Sage Publications. p. 546. ISBN 978-1-4129-0530-5.
• Doherty, Thomas Patrick (2002). Teenagers and Teenpics: The Juvenilization of American Movies in the 1950s. Temple University Press. ISBN 978-1-56639-946-3.
• Feuer, Jane (1993). The Hollywood Musical, Second Edition. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-20768-5.
• Shary, Timothy (2006). Teen Movies: American Youth on Screen. Short Cuts. Wallflower Press. ISBN 978-1-904764-49-6.
• Tropiano, Stephen (2005). Rebels and Chicks: A History of the Hollywood Teen Movie. Back Stage Books. ISBN 978-0-8230-9701-2.