Saltburn (2023)
Emerald Fennell's talked-about thriller is perhaps the most mainstream example of the 2020s dark academia boom. Set at Oxford University, it follows scholarship student Oliver Quick as he becomes dangerously infatuated with the wealthy and effortlessly
charming Felix Catton. The film is a visual feast of gothic architecture and opulent country estate life, but it uses this beautiful backdrop to explore ugly themes of class envy, obsession, and moral corruption. While some might argue it leans more into style than substance, its depiction of an outsider desperately clawing his way into a world of privilege makes it a quintessential, if unsettling, dark academia entry.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Long before the term was a TikTok hashtag, this stylish psychological thriller laid the groundwork for the entire subculture. The story centers on Tom Ripley, a man of modest means sent to Italy to retrieve a wealthy shipping heir, Dickie Greenleaf. What begins as a sun-drenched European holiday slowly curdles into a dark story of obsession, identity theft, and murder. The film explores the core dark academia theme of wanting a life that isn't yours—its status, its culture, its beauty—and being willing to do anything to get it. It's less about the 'academia' and more about the 'dark,' proving the aesthetic is as much about class anxiety as it is about books.
Kill Your Darlings (2013)
Set at Columbia University in the 1940s, this film is a direct dive into the academic world, following the early lives of Beat Generation poets like Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and Lucien Carr. It’s steeped in intellectual fervor, rebellion, and the intoxicating discovery of new ideas. But as the title suggests, a real-life murder lies at the heart of the story, forcing these brilliant young minds to confront the deadly consequences of their unchecked ambition and passion. It captures the frantic, messy, and sometimes dangerous side of intellectual awakening, where schoolyard follies escalate into something far more serious.
The Riot Club (2014)
If dark academia romanticizes elite institutions, 'The Riot Club' serves as a brutal reality check. Based on the play 'Posh,' the film follows two new students at Oxford who are initiated into an exclusive, debaucherous dining club for the ultra-wealthy. The movie methodically peels back the layers of charm and tradition to reveal the violent entitlement and moral bankruptcy underneath. It's a scathing critique of class privilege, exploring how secret societies and old-boy networks can foster a belief that wealth makes you untouchable. This is the ugly, nihilistic side of the aesthetic, stripped of all romance.
Thoroughbreds (2017)
While it isn't set at a university, 'Thoroughbreds' perfectly captures the psychological coldness and moral vacuum at the heart of the dark academia subculture. The story follows two upper-class teenage girls in suburban Connecticut—one who has been taught to suppress her emotions and another who claims to feel nothing at all—as they casually plot to murder one of their stepfathers. The film is a masterclass in controlled, simmering tension, exploring themes of privilege, sociopathy, and the emptiness of a life without empathy. It proves that the 'dark academia' mindset isn't confined to ivy-covered walls; it's about the chilling things people are capable of when they believe they are above it all.
