Sixteen Candles

Sixteen Candles is a 1984 American coming-of-age teen comedy film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, and Anthony Michael Hall. Written and directed by John Hughes in his directorial debut, it was the first in a string of films Hughes would direct, centering on teenage life. The film follows newly 16-year-old Samantha Baker (Ringwald), who deals with a seemingly unrequited crush on high school senior Jake Ryan (Schoeffling) while also being pursued by freshman Ted “The Geek” Farmer (Hall).

Hughes began development on Sixteen Candles in 1982, and after signing a three-picture deal with Universal Pictures, he chose the cast of the film and began filming in July 1983. Initially receiving an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Hughes successfully lobbied for the film to be released with a PG rating.

Sixteen Candles was theatrically released by Universal in the United States on May 4, 1984. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who particularly praised Ringwald's performance, and was a box office success, earning $23.6 million against a $6.5 million budget.

Retrospectively considered to be one of Hughes's best films, Sixteen Candles helped launch the careers of Ringwald, Schoeffling, and Hall. A television series from Peacock based on the film entered development in 2022.