If your heart is still bursting after watching Heartstopper, you’re not alone. From Nick and Charlie’s wholesome “Hi” greetings to their first kiss at a party, the British coming-of-age series has fans crushing over every slow-burn moment. For many LGBTQIA+ viewers, it’s refreshing to see a queer teenage love story unfold (and all of the awkward moments in between). If you’re searching for something else to fill the void after streaming Season 2, don’t worry — we rounded up seven movies and series with young, queer romances to make your heart stop even more.

Alex Strangelove

Alex (Daniel Doheny) and Claire (Madeline Weinstein) aren’t just best friends — they’re both also virgins. After agreeing to date each other, the friends turned lovers plan to book a hotel room so they can finally lose their virginity. It seems like a romantic idea at first, but when Alex meets Elliot (Antonio Marziale) at a party, everything changes. Elliot is openly gay and has a budding crush on Alex. As the two boys spend more time together, Alex starts to wonder if maybe he’s also queer. With the hotel getaway approaching, he must decide if he’ll break Claire’s heart or continue denying his sexuality.

Alex Strangelove

1h 39m   TV-MA   2018

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Atypical

As protagonist Sam Gardner (Keir Gilchrist) navigates his autism, family, school and love, his younger sister Casey goes on a journey of her own. Played by non-binary actor Brigette Lundy-Paine, Casey isn’t aware she’s attracted to girls. After all, she’s living the teenage dream and dating the boy next door. Throughout the show’s four seasons, Casey’s crush on her classmate Izzie (Fivel Stewart) gradually blossoms into something more. If you loved all the slow-burn moments in Heartstopper, then you’ll weep happy tears over Casey and Izzie’s relationship in Atypical.

Atypical

4 Seasons   TV-14   2017

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Sex Education

Class is in session for the fourth and final season of Sex Education. Since premiering in 2019, the British comedy has introduced viewers to a slate of awkward and sexually curious teens, including many beloved queer characters. In Season 1, we meet Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), protagonist Otis’ (Asa Butterfield) best friend who grapples with his gay and religious Ghanaian-Nigerian identities. The series also features non-binary, pansexual, asexual, and transgender characters throughout the seasons as well. The final season highlights Cal (Dua Saleh), a non-binary character navigating the health care system. “It was really important to tell a trans story that really highlights — talking from a UK perspective here — the difficulty that a lot of young trans people are going through at the moment in terms of being able to access the affirmative health care that they need,” creator Laurie Nunn told Tudum earlier this year. 

Sex Education

4 Seasons   TV-MA   2019

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The Fear Street Trilogy 

Fear Street Part 1: 1994

Does Heartstopper have your heart rate up? The Fear Street movies will do the same, but don’t expect any butterflies. While horror films are known for killing off marginalized characters first, the slasher trilogy, based on R.L. Stine’s YA horror novels, subverts that trope. The town of Shadyside has been cursed for centuries by an evil spirit responsible for a series of murders. Despite the gore, a queer relationship is at the heart of this story. When ex-girlfriends Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Sam (Olivia Scott Welch) break up at the beginning of the first film, their love for each other isn’t immediately dead — but we can’t say the same for the inhabitants of their town. Throughout the trilogy, the teens travel to hell and back, escape death, and dodge evil spirits just to protect each other.dddddddddddd

Fear Street Part 1: 1994

1h 47m   R   2021

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Fear Street Part 2: 1978

Fear Street Part 2: 1978

1h 50m   R   2021

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Fear Street Part 3: 1666

Fear Street Part 3: 1666

1h 54m   R   2021

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The Half Of It

This isn’t your typical teen rom-com because its two protagonists aren’t in love with each other. Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) supports her dad by making money writing papers for her classmates. Paul (Daniel Diemer) is an illiterate jock who has a crush on a girl named Aster (Alexxis Lemire). Both teens are from different worlds, but their paths collide when Ellie agrees to ghostwrite love letters to Aster while pretending to be Paul. As Ellie secretly pens romantic letters, she develops romantic feelings for Aster. Can she fulfill her promise to Paul, or will her crush jeopardize their matchmaking mission?

The Half Of It

1h 45m   PG-13   2020

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Young Royals

Looking to crush on another young, queer love story? Get ready to be crowned a Wilmon diehard. Being closeted isn’t easy for anyone, but it’s even more complicated when you’re the heir to the Swedish throne. After getting sent to a boarding school, Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) is finally able to explore more of his identity outside of just being a young prince. When he meets Simon (Omar Rudberg), an openly gay student, the young royal finds himself stuck between love and duty. Like Nick Nelson in Heartstopper, Wilhelm isn’t sure if he’s quite ready to come out — but his relationship with Simon might change that.

Young Royals

3 Seasons   TV-MA   2021

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Your Name Engraved Herein

After Taiwan’s martial law was lifted in 1987, there was hope that the country would loosen its tight restrictions around freedom of speech and press. However, change doesn’t happen overnight. Homophobia was also widespread in Taiwan and the LGBTQIA+ community was heavily ostracized. The East Asian country is the setting for A-Han (Edward Chen) and Birdy (Jing-Hua Tseng)’s friendship turned love story which — to add another challenge — unfolds in an all-boys Catholic high school. As the two students deal with gay-bashing classmates and a contentious sociopolitical climate, they must also reckon their love for each other with the conservative teachings of the church.

Your Name Engraved Herein

1h 54m   TV-MA   2020

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