Overview

• Variety reporting cited in multiple columns says Walt Disney executives have asked creatives to pitch movies aimed at teenage boys.
• Critics note an absence of new teen films in theaters this year, with an expert arguing the new Freakier Friday skews to nostalgic older viewers rather than teens.
• Analysts tie the decline to studios abandoning mid-budget films in favor of blockbuster strategies shaped by the streaming era.
• Scholars say the communal role teen movies once played has shifted to TV series and social platforms, where weekly discussions and memes recreate shared viewing.
• Commentary highlights representation gaps in canonical teen films while pointing to indie and queer titles and teen horror as vital spaces that broaden the genre’s themes.