If you loved the 2014 Disney Channel Original Movie Zapped, starring Zendaya, then you’re probably craving more lighthearted teen comedies with a supernatural or magical element. Zapped follows Zoey, a teenage girl whose life is turned upside down when she moves in with her new step-family and discovers a dog training app that magically controls boys. It’s a fun, silly premise that leads to plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments.
Luckily, there are tons of other great movies out there that capture a similar vibe – blending typical coming-of-age high school hijinks and romance with a fantasy twist. Whether it’s a shy girl transforming into a popular radio DJ, a teen making disastrous birthday wishes come true, or a mean girl returning from the dead to help an outcast become prom queen, these films all share DNA with Zapped. They’re perfect for a sleepover marathon or just some feel-good escapist fun.
So if you’re ready for more charming, goofy, magical teen adventures, check out this list of the 15 best movies like Zapped:
1. Radio Rebel (2012)
Radio Rebel stars Debby Ryan as Tara, an extremely shy high school senior who secretly moonlights as a confident, outspoken radio personality named “Radio Rebel.” Using her anonymous platform, she encourages her fellow students to embrace their uniqueness and stand up to authority. But when her identity is put at risk, Tara must decide if she’s ready to let the real her shine through.
Like Zapped, Radio Rebel focuses on a teen girl navigating high school social dynamics while hiding a secret alter-ego. Tara uses her radio persona to express herself in ways she’s too afraid to do as herself. The film has a positive message about staying true to yourself and not being afraid to speak your mind. It’s a sweet, empowering Disney Channel classic.
2. 16 Wishes (2010)
Debby Ryan also headlines 16 Wishes as Abby, a teen eagerly awaiting her 16th birthday. For years, she’s been making a wish list of 16 things she wants to come true. On the big day, a magical being grants her 16 candles that each make one wish a reality. But the wishes quickly go awry in unexpected ways.
16 Wishes plays with the “be careful what you wish for” adage as Abby’s desires manifest with frustrating consequences. Like Zapped‘s enchanted phone app, the birthday candles here act as a supernatural catalyst for chaos and life lessons. It’s a cute, whimsical story about appreciating what really matters.
3. Teen Spirit (2011)
Teen Spirit puts a playful spin on the typical “mean girl” narrative. Popular queen bee Amber (Cassie Scerbo) dies in a freak accident after being crowned prom queen. Stuck in limbo, she’s tasked with returning to Earth as a ghost to help turn the school outcast, Lisa (Lindsey Shaw), into the next prom queen in order to get into heaven.
The film has fun contrasting the snooty Amber with the awkward Lisa as they work together to boost Lisa’s social status. Like how Zapped‘s Zoey uses the dog app to control the boys around her, Amber uses her ghostly influence to give Lisa a makeover and make her more confident. Teen Spirit is a silly, sentimental comedy about unlikely friendship.
4. Sleepover (2004)
Sleepover follows Julie (Alexa Vega) on the last day of 8th grade as she and her best friends embark on a scavenger hunt against the popular clique to win the coveted high school lunchroom spot. The competition takes them on a wild all-night adventure full of pranks, hijinks, and cute boys. But it also tests the strength of Julie’s friendships.
Like Zapped, Sleepover centers on a teen girl determined to improve her social standing, leading to crazy schemes and conflicts with rivals and crushes alike. It captures the excitement and anxiety around transitioning to high school. While grounded in reality, the film still has a fun, exaggerated energy that matches Zapped‘s heightened world.
5. 13 Going on 30 (2004)
13-year-old Jenna (Christa B. Allen) makes a wish on her birthday to be “thirty, flirty, and thriving.” She magically wakes up as a 30-year-old woman (Jennifer Garner) and discovers her future life isn’t quite what she imagined. Jenna gets a crash course in adulthood and re-evaluates her priorities.
13 Going on 30 shares the body-swap comedy concept seen in many other films on this list. The magical conceit allows characters to gain a new perspective, as Jenna did by jumping into her adult self. She realizes the importance of authentic relationships over popularity. It’s a heartfelt, nostalgic rom-com with a touch of fantasy.
6. Freaky Friday (2003)
Freaky Friday stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis as a warring teenage daughter and mother who accidentally switch bodies thanks to a magical fortune cookie. Forced to live in each other’s shoes, they gain a greater understanding of one another’s struggles and learn to appreciate their bond.
The body-swap premise, later used in films like Zapped‘s male-controlling app, works well to humorously explore the generation gap between parents and kids. Living as each other helps the characters here build empathy. It’s a funny, meaningful take on the “walk in someone else’s shoes” lesson.
7. Aquamarine (2006)
Teen best friends Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (Joanna “JoJo” Levesque) discover a mermaid named Aquamarine (Sara Paxton) in their swimming pool. Aqua enlists their help to prove to her father that love exists. In exchange, she promises to grant them a wish. The girls see it as a chance to maybe save their friendship before Hailey moves away.
Aquamarine focuses on the unbreakable bond between Claire and Hailey, even as they face the challenges of growing up and apart. The mermaid element adds a sense of magic and wish-fulfillment to their relatable coming-of-age journey. Like Zapped, it’s a sweet story of friendship with a fantasy twist.
8. Ella Enchanted (2004)
Ella Enchanted takes place in a fairy tale world where an infant Ella (Anne Hathaway) is cursed with the “gift” of obedience. No matter what, she must do anything she’s told. As a teenager, Ella goes on a quest to get rid of the curse and take control of her own life. Along the way, she falls for the charming Prince Char (Hugh Dancy).
The film plays with the trope of a magical spell controlling the main character’s actions, but frames it here as a burden that holds Ella back. Her journey to break free parallels Zapped‘s Zoey realizing that magically controlling others isn’t the answer. Ella Enchanted is a fun, feminist twist on fairy tales with romance and adventure.
9. Penelope (2006)
Penelope stars Christina Ricci as a young woman born with a pig snout for a nose due to a curse on her wealthy family. She’s hidden away in her parents’ mansion until a potential suitor can break the curse by accepting her as she is. An unexpected connection with a down-on-his-luck gambler (James McAvoy) helps Penelope learn to love herself.
Like Zapped‘s enchanted app, the magical curse in Penelope serves as a catalyst for the protagonist to undergo an emotional journey and discover what really matters. The film has a storybook charm to its modern fairy tale about inner beauty and self-acceptance. Ricci is endearing as the lonely, sheltered Penelope.
10. The Princess Diaries (2001)
Awkward teen Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is shocked to learn that she’s actually a princess and the heir apparent to the throne of a small European country. Under the tutelage of her regal grandmother (Julie Andrews), she undergoes a makeover and etiquette training to prepare for her new royal duties, all while navigating high school drama.
The Princess Diaries doesn’t have literal magic, but Mia’s overnight princess transformation gives the story a fairy tale feel. Like Zapped‘s Zoey, Mia suddenly has access to a new world of privilege and popularity. The film charmingly depicts her comedic fish-out-of-water experience and gradual growth into her new role.
11. What a Girl Wants (2003)
American teenager Daphne (Amanda Bynes) jets off to England to find her estranged father (Colin Firth), who turns out to be a wealthy lord in the midst of a political campaign. As Daphne attempts to connect with her dad and fit into upper-class British society, her free-spirited personality both charms and clashes with the stuffy aristocratic environment.
What a Girl Wants, like The Princess Diaries, sees its heroine transported into a glamorous new world. Daphne’s journey to discover herself and find her place in her father’s life leads to plenty of culture shock hijinks and heartfelt moments. It’s a sweet, funny modern fairy tale about staying true to yourself.
12. Sydney White (2007)
Sydney White puts a contemporary spin on the classic Snow White fairy tale. Amanda Bynes stars as Sydney, a college freshman who pledges her late mother’s once-dignified sorority. But she finds herself at odds with the sorority’s snooty new leader (Sara Paxton). Sydney joins forces with seven outcasts to take back the sorority.
The film playfully incorporates elements of Snow White’s story, with Sydney as the kindhearted underdog pitted against a vain queen bee. Like Zapped‘s Zoey learning to embrace her quirky new family, Sydney finds her place with a band of misfits. It’s a cute, clever take on the fairy tale that celebrates being yourself.
13. Geek Charming (2011)
Dylan Schoenfield (Sarah Hyland) is a snobby popular girl determined to be crowned prom queen. Josh Rosen (Matt Prokop) is a film geek making a documentary about high school popularity. He convinces Dylan to be the subject, and an unlikely friendship forms as they learn they have more in common than they thought.
Geek Charming examines high school cliques and stereotypes through the lens of Dylan and Josh’s evolving relationship. Like Zapped, it uses a high-concept premise to explore themes of identity, image, and staying true to yourself. The film has a smart, sweet message wrapped in a fun teen rom-com package.
14. Mean Girls (2004)
Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is a naive homeschooled teen thrown into the wild world of high school social politics. She infiltrates the popular clique known as “The Plastics,” led by queen bee Regina George (Rachel McAdams). But as Cady schemes to sabotage Regina’s reign, she starts becoming just as two-faced and judgmental as the mean girls.
While not supernatural, Mean Girls hilariously depicts high school as a crazy alternate reality with its own rules and hierarchies. Cady’s attempts to manipulate the system, like Zoey’s use of the magic app in Zapped, ultimately backfire. It’s a smart, quotable teen comedy with an insightful look at friendship and feminism.
15. Clueless (1995)
Shallow but well-meaning rich girl Cher (Alicia Silverstone) enjoys playing matchmaker and giving makeovers to those she deems in need of her help. Along with her best friend Dionne (Stacey Dash), she takes awkward new girl Tai (Brittany Murphy) under her wing. But Cher’s meddling doesn’t always go as planned.
Clueless is the teen movie classic that set the standard for so many films that followed, like Zapped. Cher is a lovable, ditzy heroine who learns meaningful life lessons through her often misguided schemes. The film is endlessly charming, funny, and stylish in its depiction of ’90s Beverly Hills high school life.
These 15 films all share Zapped‘s winning combination of high school antics, sweet sentiment, and a dash of magic. Whether it’s through body-swaps, enchanted objects, or fairy tale twists, they each find clever ways to incorporate fantasy elements into relatable coming-of-age stories. At their core, they’re about young characters discovering their identities and learning to appreciate the people around them.
So if you’re a fan of Zapped‘s silly supernatural spin on teen life, definitely check out these delightful movies. They’ll give you more of the heartfelt high school adventures and playful magical mayhem that made Zapped so much fun. Grab some friends, some snacks, and enjoy a movie marathon filled with laughter, love, and just a little bit of magic.
