Dead Poets Society & 19 Other Movies For Fans Of The Dark Academia Aesthetic

Boarding schools, tweed jackets, Latin classes, black coffee – these are just some of the things that illustrate and describe dark academia in movies. The aesthetic became a popular trend among young adults who are genuinely keen on broadening their perspectives on just about everything under the sun, particularly the art of literature. Dark academia movies embrace an interest in learning – or sometimes, simply use the aesthetic to appear to embrace that interest in learning.

Dark academia is a type of aesthetic that romanticizes the yearning for knowledge, especially in literature and classical studies. It could be expressed through fashion, photography, writing, and films. Dark academia movies are often set in Ivy League or prestigious universities and could involve a case of murder or simply one’s pursuit of self. With the very popular subgenre of drama films holding such a respected spot in film history, there are plenty of movies to go back and watch that possess dark academia traits, from the musty libraries to the love of all things art, literature, and academia.

20 Dead Poets Society (1989)

A Poetry Teacher Leads Students To Their Passions

Released in 1989, Dead Poets Society is probably the peak of all dark academia movies. It stars the late Robin Williams as Mr. Keating, Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson, and Robert Sean Leonard as Neil Perry. The film follows their academic lives inside the boarding school of Welton Academy. Mr. Keating was an English teacher with unconventional methods, which inspired the boys to pursue their love for poetry.

This heartwarming and tear-jerking movie teaches fans the importance of self-discovery and freedom of expression. It also emphasizes the role of teachers and how their lessons can impact the lives of their students in the long run. However, the parents are not always willing to accept their sons following their passions, and when a suicide occurs, it upends everything Keaton tries to accomplish. Dead Poets Society earned Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Peter Weir), and Best Actor (Robin Williams).

19 School Ties (1992)

A Jewish High School Student Finds Persecution In An Elite Prep School

School Ties is often remembered in the same breath as Dead Poets Society, but they are very different films. While the latter actually does focus on learning and the students opening their minds, the former focuses on the intolerance present in a close-knit community. Despite the different story focuses, they do have the same dark academia aesthetic with that elite and classic prep school look.

School Ties boasts an impressive cast that includes Brendan Fraser, Ben Affleck, Chris O’Donnell, and Anthony Rapp in some of their earliest roles. In the movie, Fraser stars as a Jewish teenager from a working-class family who receives a scholarship to an elite prep school because of his exceptional grades and his excellence on the football field. However, when he gets there, he finds himself an outsider with the wealthy and often racist students that he crosses paths with.

18 Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

An Art Teacher In The 1950s Wants To Help Women Achieve Their Dreams

Like School Ties, Mona Lisa Smile is also set in the 1950s. Unlike School Ties, however, the focus of the movie is on the place of women in society at the time as explored through an art history course at Wellesley. Though the film received mixed reviews upon its release, it certainly touches on the different expectations of a university education at the time for women compared to men.

Women were not expected to use the academic education they received, but to become wives and mothers and stay within the home.

Women were not expected to use the academic education they received, but to become wives and mothers and stay within the home. Mona Lisa Smile doesn’t play as hard into the dark academia aspect of the movie as it could, instead allowing the audience to see that there are many paths for the women of the class as long as they are presented with their own choices about their future. Julia Robert led the cast, and the movie received award nominations for the Elton John song “The Heart of Every Girl.”

17 The Skulls (2000)

A Secret Society At A Prestigious University

When it comes to more modern takes on dark academia in movies and TV, many are devoted to fantasy stories, like The Magicians. The Skulls, however, which hit theaters in 2000, is still relevant for modern audiences as it focuses on the sinister appeal of secret societies in prestigious universities. Starring Paul Walker and Joshua Jackson, the movie is just as much of a thriller as it is a young adult drama, as conspiracies surrounding a secret society are slowly unearthed.

However, as the movie wears on, Luke realizes the secrets are deeper and darker than he ever suspected.

Luke (Jackson) is a student who wants to be a lawyer and gets his chance to attend a prestigious college on a rowing scholarship. He tries to enter a secret society known as The Skulls, which includes alumni at all levels of society, including a Federal Court Judge who wants a seat on the Supreme Court. However, as the movie wears on, Luke realizes the secrets are deeper and darker than he ever suspected. Director Rob COehn said he based the movie on reality (via Entertainment Focus).

“It was a very intense set because I had in my mind that I was telling the story of George Senior and George W. Bush… It’s interesting how many of the critics missed this and didn’t understand it and blowed it off as silly. Skull and Bones is a reality and the film got very close to how that reality works at Yale.”

16 Cruel Intentions (1999)

A Brother & Sister Play Twisted Mind Games

Cruel Intentions is one of the best-known dark academia movies. After all, the characters go to an elite school where they have the best fashions that money can buy, but they also favor a classic academic aesthetic regarding their books, furniture, and homes. The movie exposes the darkness that can stem from jealousy as well with Sarah Michelle Gellar brilliantly playing a villainous role after audiences were so used to seeing her as the hero.

Ryan Phillippe plays Sebastian, a teenager who uses his money and charm to manipulate and seduce women. When he sets his eyes on a new conquest (Reese Witherspoon), his stepsister (Gellar) makes a bet with her brother that if he successfully seduces this new conquest, then she will sleep with him, but if he fails, she gets his Jaguar car. The movie is an erotic thriller with a very dark turn of events that plays out as the bet progresses. The film received mixed reviews but is something of a cult classic that still gets rewatched today.

15 Harry Potter Films (2001-2011)

A Boy Wizard Finds His Fate At An Exclusive Wizarding Academy

Harry Potter might not be the first film franchise that comes to mind when thinking of dark academia movies, but it certainly fits the bill. Dark academia is an aesthetic that calls to mind a very idealized version of academic institutions. The Harry Potter franchise has just that thanks to its castle of a setting for the bulk of the stories, the intense classes viewers are able to observe, and the sheer amount of knowledge that the Harry Potter characters are able to obtain while attending Hogwarts.

They are also beautiful to watch with immaculately dressed sets and effects

Yes, the movies are a family-friendly fantasy series, but they are also beautiful to watch, with immaculately dressed sets and effects that are perfect for fans of dark academia. There were seven movies in the original series and then three in a spinoff prequel series. However, there will be more coming in the future, as Max will remake every Harry Potter novel into a 10-season-long streaming series, which will likely tell much more of the books’ stories in the academic setting.

14 Good Will Hunting (1997)

A Young Prodigy From The Streets Gets A Chance To Find His Place In The World

Good Will Hunting is a dark academia movie that shows what happens when someone from a lower class moves into the high arts, and finds he no longer belongs anywhere he feels comfortable. Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a brilliant mathematical genius who can solve any problem, earning him a spot at a university, a goal none of his childhood friends could ever achieve. That puts him in a tough spot where his friends don’t understand his new pursuits.

Robin Williams won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor

Robin Williams enjoyed a breakout performance as his mentor Dr. Sean Maguire, a man who did what he could to help Will fit into the dark academia world that he knew nothing about. Good Will Hunting has a 97% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also picked up great acclaim when released, earning nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Robin Williams won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and Ben Affleck and Matt Damon won for their screenplay.

13 The Theory Of Everything (2014)

The True Story Of Stephen Hawking

The Theory of Everything is a biopic about renowned scientist Stephen Hawking. Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar for his performance as Hawking, as he learns about his motor neuron disease and never lets it affect his desire to achieve his goals in life. Given that the movie starts off with Hawking’s career at the University of Cambridge as an aspiring astrophysicist, this movie slides quite nicely into the world of dark academia movies.

Eventually, Hawking’s drive allows him to eclipse the academics who once taught him. Critics praised the movie, awarding it an 80% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition to Redmayne’s Oscar win, the film itself had four other nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Felicity Jones), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score. Redmayne also won awards at the BAFTAs and Golden Globes Awards for his performance.

12 The Goldfinch (2019)

A Young Man Attempts A Career As An Art Thief

The Goldfinch is based on the novel by Donna Tartt, with Ansel Elgort starring as Theodore Decker. When his mother dies in a terrorist bombing, he ends up moving into a life of crime, specifically the world of art thievery. The movie follows Theodore throughout his life as he learns lessons along the way and grows into a man with no parental figures in his life, but an innate desire to both succeed and overcome his childhood trauma.

…many of the reviews praised the beauty and look of the movie but felt the story was mostly disappointing.

The movie is a dark tale, with Theodore involving himself in the world of classic art and literature, making this a dark academia movie without bothering with the university aspects of the genre. Critics mostly dismissed the film, with a low 25% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, although many of the reviews praised the beauty and look of the movie but felt the story was mostly disappointing. Author Tartt disowned the film and fired her agent after it was made (via Looper).

11 The Social Network (2010)

The Creation Of Facebook

The Social Network is a movie that shows what is wrong with dark academia. While the idea of the theme is a romanticism with literature and art, mostly in a university setting, this movie shows the dark side. This included toxic masculinity, snobbish Ivy League cliques, and over-obsessive work habits, followed by betrayal and possible intellectual rights theft.

Directed by David Fincher, the film has a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie shows the rise of Facebook by its founders and the idea that the original concept was supposed to help connect those students at Cambridge. However, as with any good idea, there was a darkness behind it that corrupted all it touched. Directed by David Fincher, the film has a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Aaron Sorkin won for his screenplay while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross won for the score.

10 A Beautiful Mind (2001)

The True Story Of Mathematician John Nash

Released in 2001 by Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind told the story of mathematician John Nash. While the movie courted controversy for the inaccuracies it made to Nash’s life and his real story, the entire movie is seeped in the themes of dark academia movies. Nash arrives at Princeton University as a winner of the Carnegie Scholarship for mathematics and meets his new roommate, a literature student named Charles Herman.

However, as the movie goes on, things are not as they seem and Nash’s life ends up falling apart while he still manages to succeed when he is awarded the Nobel Prize in 1994. A Beautiful Mind won some of the biggest Oscars that year, bringing home Best Picture, Best Director for Ron Howard, Best Supporting Actress for Jennifer Connelly, and Best Screenplay for Akiva Goldsman. Star Russell Crowe lost to Denzel Washington (Training Day) for Best Actor.

9 Kill Your Darlings (2013)

The True Story Of Allen Ginsberg

Kill Your Darlings is loosely based on the lives of poets Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr . They attended Columbia University and got involved in the murder of one of their acquaintances. Played by Daniel Radcliffe, Ginsberg finds an unusual friendship with Carr (played by Dane DeHaan). Carr is a young man who ends up in a predatory relationship with an older sexual predator and ends up killing the man in self-defense.

The movie takes place at Columbia University and features appearances by other historical figures…

The movie takes place at Columbia University and features appearances by other historical figures, including Jack Kerouac (played by Jack Huston) and William S. Burroughs (played by Ben Foster). The film garnered positive reviews because of the two actors’ chemistry and overall plot. As for its historical accuracy, Ginsberg’s secretary confirmed some inaccuracies, which are only of small value. The film has a 75% Rotten Tomatoes score and won Unsung Film of the Year at the Dorian Awards.

8 Maurice (1987)

A Merchant Ivory Production Based On E.M. Forster’s Novel

Based on the novel by E.M. Forster of the same title, Maurice tells the extraordinary story of two star-crossed lovers. When Maurice Hall attends Cambridge University, he meets and befriends the rich Clive Durham. Maurice confesses that he is in love with Clive, and the latter gradually realizes that he is also attracted to his friend. Both of them pursue their own passions, but because Clive needs to protect his reputation, they decide to go separate ways.

The film explores gay love in the very repressed Edwardian English culture.

In this intense and chaotic tale of love and loss, fans will love the chemistry between these two actors. The film explores gay love in the very repressed Edwardian English culture. With James Wilby and Hugh Grant in the lead roles, the movie received critical praise and is currently sitting at 82% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It received an Oscar nomination for its costume design and won three awards at the Venice Film Festival, including the Silver Lion for Best Director..

7 Mary Shelley (2017)

The True Life Story Of Frankenstein Author Mary Shelley

This historical drama narrates the early life of the Romantic writer Mary Shelley and the creation of her best work, Frankenstein. Set during the 1800s, this visually pleasing and gothic-inspired film will surely awaken the writer in every literature fan. Played by Elle Fanning, Mary Shelley is the wife of the poet Percy Blythe Shelley. Together with their friends, Lord Byron, John Polidori, and Mary’s half-sister, Claire Clairmont, they get stranded in a house near Lake Geneva.

Lord Byron proposes a game of writing a horror story, and that was the beginning of the conception of Frankenstein. The film did almost nothing at the worldwide box office and also received average to low critical ratings, sitting at 41% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the movie does well with the dark academia setting, delivering an intriguing story led by some strong performances from the talented cast.

6 Tolkien (2019)

The True Story Of J.R.R. Tolkien

Everyone knows J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and this biopic tells the English professor’s early life and his inspiration for creating the popular franchise. Nicholas Hoult stars as Tolkien, while Lily Collins plays his lifelong love and later wife. Tolkien finds love and inspiration among a group of outcasts. Their brotherhood gradually strengthens as Tolkien deals with his relationship with Edith Bratt and the outbreak of World War I.

These experiences later inspired him to create the fantasy world of
The Hobbit
and
The Lord of the Rings
.

These experiences later inspired him to create the fantasy world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The film has all elements of dark academia movies, from their outfits to attending universities, everything displays the aesthetic. However, it ended up as a box office failure while also receiving mixed reviews from critics but it’s another film that dark academia fans will likely appreciate.

5 Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Robert Downey Jr. Takes On The Role Of Sherlock Holmes

Of course, the genius detective Sherlock Holmes perfectly fits the dark academia movie theme. Though the whole film is not set in a university, his love for knowledge satisfies every aspect of the aesthetic. Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes and everyone who has a knack for mysteries and crime will surely adore his adventures. The dark setting and atmosphere of the film give off the ambiance of old London, which is full of a sinister and wicked society.

Directed by Guy Ritchie, this movie is based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle characters, but the story is not based on any of his novels or tales. Instead, it follows Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) as they try to stop three “unstoppable” deaths promised by his nemesis, Lord Henry Blackwood. The movie was a monster success winning Downey a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, and spawning a sequel, with another on the way.

4 The Imitation Game (2014)

The True Story Of Alan Turing

The newly created British intelligence recruits Cambridge mathematics genius Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi codes that cryptanalysts thought were unbreakable. Turing analyzes the Enigma messages as he builds a machine to decipher them. But the supposed-to-be-happy ending turns sour as he is sent to prison when they find out he’s gay. One of the most common themes in dark academia movies is LGBTQ+ issues.

This aesthetic is inclusive and covers all genders, so it often presents stories of self-exploration and expression.

This aesthetic is inclusive and covers all genders, so it often presents stories of self-exploration and expression.The Imitation Game has a certified Fresh 90% Rotten Tomatoes score. It was also a success at the end of the year, earning eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Best Actress (Keira Knightley). However, the only award it ended up taking home was Best Adapted Screenplay for Graham Moore.

3 The Riot Club (2014)

A Fictional All-Male, Exclusive Oxford Dining Club

Starring Sam Claflin, Max Irons, and Douglas Booth, this film follows the narrative of a group of students attending Oxford University who join a secret society where they learn that a reputation can be ruined in just one evening. The Riot Club is an established drinking club that prides itself on money and hedonism, things that most dark academia movie fans are very well aware of.

Fans will also indulge in its spectacular cinematography and the portrayal of the British Elites.

The film’s aesthetic is visually appealing, especially when the cast is all handsome boys in school uniforms. Fans will also indulge in its spectacular cinematography and the portrayal of the British Elites. The film mostly follows an exclusive secret society, all of whom believe they are above the law and can do anything they want without repercussions, which is proven to be mostly true by the end. The film has a 66% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is praised for its dark humor and look at unearned privilege.

2 The Dreamers (2003)

An Erotic Drama During The 1968 Paris Student Riots

This French-English film stars Eva Green, Michael Pitt, and Louis Garrel, three students who find an unusual friendship in one another. Isabelle and Theo are twins who meet an American student, Matthew, and together they dream of utopian love and self-discovery in the age of revolutionary idealism. The movie became popular on social media because of the scenes where the three were running and frolicking around a museum, a sight that will surely stir the hearts of dark academia movie fans.

The Dreamers was directed by auteur filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, widely considered to be one of Italy’s greatest directors in history. This was Eva Green’s first movie and her major breakthrough. Bertolucci has both the R-rated theatrical version and a second version that is uncut and NC-17. The film received average to positive reviews, with a 60% Rotten Tomatoes score, and its music soundtrack includes hits from Jimi Hendrix, Steve Miller Band, The Doors, and Grateful Dead.

1 Dorian Gray (2009)

Based On The Classic Oscar Wilde Character

Enthralled by his own beauty, Dorian Gray decided to barter his soul to the devil to keep his youth. Based on the novel by Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray is a representation of the human desire for immortality. Played by Ben Barnes, Dorian was a student who met the artist Basil Hallward and the influential Lord Henry Wotton when he first came to London. The three became good friends until Lord Wotton poisoned Dorian’s young mind, and upon discovering that his portrait painted by Basil has some dark secrets, he decides to lock it away.

Like
Dorian Gray
, many of the best dark academia movies don’t just employ the aesthetic, but also have an inherent darkness to their stories.

The story involves murder and debauchery, which bring some wickedness into the film. Like Dorian Gray, many of the best dark academia movies don’t just employ the aesthetic, but also have an inherent darkness to their stories. The film received mostly mixed to negative reviews, sitting at 43% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, critics still praised the lavish and polished production and the look of the dark academia film