There’s something oddly comforting about dark academia stories. The pin-drop silence in libraries, old campuses, and characters who are always thinking a little too much. But behind that, there’s usually tension, secrets, and choices that don’t always go the right way.
These films and shows instantly pull you in slowly, with strong characters, deep emotions, and stories that stay with you even after they end.
10. A Discovery of Witches
When Diana Bishop, a historian and reluctant witch, unexpectedly discovers a bewitched manuscript in Oxford’s library, she finds herself in the world of magic. Now, she has to pair up with a mysterious biochemist and vampire, Matthew Clairmont, to solve this world’s mysteries while fending off magical creatures.
Related: Top 10 Must-Watch Angsty Goth Movies For All The Dark Vibes
9. The Goldfinch
Based on the book of dark academia queen Donna Tartt, the story follows Theodore Decker, whose life has turned upside down when his mother is killed in a terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In a rush of panic, he is compelled to steal “The Goldfinch,” a famous painting that draws him into the world of crime.
8. School Ties
It’s the story of David Greene, a Jewish high school student from a working-class family and a star quarterback. When David gets an athletic scholarship to an elite preparatory school in his senior year, he has to hide his Jewish identity amongst his Protestant classmates.
7. The Magicians
When Quentin Coldwater and other students are recruited into a secretive society of magic, they discover that the magic they read about as children is very much real. But it can also be more dangerous than they ever imagined. Meanwhile, his childhood friend Julia is denied entry and searches for magic elsewhere outside of the school.
6. Ares
Rose Steenwijk’s aim is to become a part of Amsterdam’s elite. So, when she got to know about the secretive student society of Ares, she had to join it. Though the society has been around since the Dutch Golden Age, Rose begins to realize what it’s really about. And, they must decide how far she is willing to go to rise through the ranks.
In case you missed it: 25 Must-Watch Gothic Horror Movies Of All Time
5. The Pale Blue Eye
Set in the 1830s, ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ stars Christian Bale in the role of veteran detective Augustus Landor. One calm October evening, the West Point Academy finds one of their young cadet’s bodies swinging from a rope just off the parade grounds. Augustus Landor takes up this investigation and enlists the help of one of their own, a young man who would come to be known as Edgar Allan Poe.
4. The Riot Club
It tells the story of the infamous Riot Club, an elite drinking club priding itself on hedonism and the belief that money can buy anything. When the first two years at Oxford University join the Riot Club, they learn that their reputations can be made or destroyed over the course of a single evening.
3. Kill Your Darlings
Set in the early 1940s, ‘Kill Your Darlings’ brings together the early members of the Beat Generation. When Allen Ginsberg joined Columbia University, he found himself drawn to iconoclastic colleagues like Lucien Carr, William S. Burroughs, and Jack Kerouac. Together, this gang explores bold new literary ideas, challenging their time. Though some will also lead more serious transgressions, marking their lives forever.
2. Wednesday
Based on the iconic character by Charles Addams, ‘Wednesday’ is about the titular Wednesday Addams’ years as a student at the Nevermore Academy. It takes us through the journey as she masters her emerging psychic abilities, tries to avoid monstrous killing sprees, and solves supernatural mysteries.
1. Dead Poets Society
Known as the most iconic dark academia film of all time, ‘Dead Poets Society’ is set in 1959 at a fictional elite boarding school called Welton Academy. When Professor Keating returns to the school, he begins using his love of poetry to teach the students about the Dead Poets Society. As he encourages them to go against the status quo, each does so in his own way and is changed for life.
You might also like to read: 10 Best Witch Movies of All Time
