Pretty Little Liars was a teen drama TV show, which meant it was full of romantic relationships, student struggles, and tons of thrills. However, it also focused on someone called A, who sent messages revealing the main characters’ deepest and darkest secrets. Therefore, it pushed the limits, delivering drama, twists, and cliffhangers over and over and in super exciting ways.
While many fans miss this popular television series, there are many other shows and films out there with similar themes, stories, and vibes. In fact, the ten movies listed out below are must-watch items for those who truly loved PLL!
Mean Girls
Released in 2004, Mean Girls starred Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and Lacey Chabert as, well, mean girls, and all these years later, it is still copied, referenced, watched and mentioned all the time.
Just as Regina George led The Plastics, Alison DiLaurentis led her clique in Rosewood. After Ali disappeared, her friends started having some serious realizations and learning all sorts of new information, and this is similar to how Cady realized she didn’t want to be mean.
The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants came out in 2005, was based on a novel, and got a sequel in 2008. This sounds similar since Pretty Little Liars was based on a book series and led to a couple of spin-off shows.
Both this movie and this series focus on a group of female friends. With a magical pair of pants, there was Alexis Bledel as Lena, Amber Tamblyn as Tibby, America Ferrera as Carmen, and Blake Lively as Bee. And on PLL, there was Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Those who particularly enjoyed the scary twists and thrills of PLL may want to watch or revisit I Know What You Did Last Summer. It was released in 1997, it was based on the novel of the same name by Lois Duncan, and it got two sequels. It also starred some of the hottest stars of the 1990s: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Ryan Phillippe.
Secrets having to be kept, lives being lost, friends becoming closer due to not-so-great situations… That all definitely sounds like PLL.
Prom Night
Another horror option would be Prom Night from 2008. It was actually a remake, meaning there are two versions of this story to watch and enjoy. The newer one featured Brittany Snow and was full of murder, obsession, and a prom night gone wrong.
Whenever a school dance took place on Pretty Little Liars, fans knew to buckle up. On one hand, there were gorgeous gowns and juicy relationship details, but on the other hand, there was also usually way more drama than usual!
The Roommate
In Rosewood, things were never as they seemed, and that was also the case in The Roommate. Released in 2011, this thriller featured Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Danneel Harris, and Aly Michalka. It was one of those stories that kept getting more and more exciting that kept viewers on the edges of their seats.
From people disappearing and coming back from the grave to the ups and downs of love lives, there was always something pulling in audiences, when it came to Pretty Little Liars, making this film a good choice for fans.
John Tucker Must Die
Brittany Snow was in John Tucker Must Die, too, from 2006, along with Jesse Metcalfe, Ashanti, Sophia Bush, Arielle Kebbel, and Penn Badgley. It focused on a group of high school girls who wanted to break John Tucker’s heart.
A good teen drama, whether it be a show or a movie, must have complex and drool-worthy relationships, as both of these do. Plus, a little plotting always makes things more interesting.
Lolita
Lolita is mentioned several times in PLL, and it was written in 1955, as well as made into movies in 1962 and 1997. It was about a man who was obsessed with a young girl, so it made sense that Ali liked this book.
Ali was described as a person that all the girls wanted to be and all the boys wanted to date. She was pretty and flirty, but was also manipulative and powerful, meaning she could blackmail adults, lie to her friends, and get away with a lot.
A Simple Favor
An additional film suggestion would be A Simple Favor. It came out in 2018, it was based on a novel, and it starred Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. The plot centered around a woman looking into the disappearance of her friend.
That should appeal to PLL fans, as the series started with Alison going missing. There is also a pretty big twist in A Simple Favor, which will also surely entertain those who miss visiting Rosewood each week!
Practical Magic
Part of what made PLL so wonderful was the bond between these unique and strong female characters. That was a vital part of Practical Magic, as well. Released in 1998, it had Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman playing sisters… who were witches… who were cursed, as the men they fell for would always die.
No matter what Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna went through, they were always there for one another. Their ups and downs made their bond stronger. And their romances spiced things up even more.
Now & Then
And then there is Now and Then from 1995, which featured so many amazing actresses, such as Christina Ricci, Rosie O'Donnell, Thora Birch, Melanie Griffith, Gaby Hoffmann, Demi Moore, Ashleigh Aston Moore, and Rita Wilson.
This film was written by I. Marlene King, who was the executive producer and showrunner for Pretty Little Liars! She certainly knows how to create a female-focused story full of mystery, love, and more.