Zac Efron is known to most for playing Troy Bolton in the High School Musical franchise. It's been over 15 years since Efron last appeared as the singing basketball player, but his time in the series is still very much talked about today. While Troy Bolton is Efron's most famous role — and interestingly one he has said he regrets playing — the actor has starred in a number of hits since his time in the Disney franchise.

Over the years, Efron has gone on to star in a variety of genres, from raunchy comedies like Dirty Grandpa to popular movie musicals such as The Greatest Showman to a string of romance dramas. With the actor's latest film, biographical sports drama, The Iron Claw, currently garnering rave reviews, now seems like a good time to look back at Efron's best movies since High School Musical ended.

Updated December 22nd, 2023: This article has been updated by Callum Jones with more great Zac Efron movies.

10 The Lucky One (2012)

The Lucky One
The Lucky One
PG-13
Release Date
April 19, 2012
Cast
Zac Efron , Taylor Schilling , Blythe Danner , Riley Thomas Stewart , Jay R. Ferguson , Adam Lefevre
Main Genre
Drama

Based on the Nicolas Sparks novel of the same name, The Lucky One sees Efron playing Logan Thibault, a US Marine who finds himself in a small Louisiana town looking for the woman he believes brought him good luck during his latest tour in Iraq. Taylor Schilling stars as Beth Green, the supposed human good luck charm who develops feelings for Efron's character.

Efron and Schilling Have Great Chemistry

Very much straddling the line between sweet romance and mawkish melodrama, The Lucky One has just enough charm and storytelling magic to stop it from being a cringe-inducing watch. Its biggest redeeming feature is undoubtedly the performances of the two leads, who do an excellent job of transforming the cloying and clichéd dialogue into something that, at least, feels like it holds some weight. Furthermore, decent cinematography and beautiful scenery help to make the film one of Efron's better dips into the romance genre. Rent on AppleTV+.

9 Charlie St. Cloud (2010)

Charlie St. Cloud
Charlie St. Cloud
PG-13
Release Date
July 30, 2010
Director
Burr Steers
Main Genre
Drama

Another adaptation of a novel, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood, a 2010 supernatural romance, Charlie St. Cloud was one of Efron's first film roles following the conclusion of the High School Musical series. He stars as the eponymous Charlie, a sailor who is bound for college when a car accident takes the life of his younger brother, Sam (Charlie Tahan). Instead of going to college, Charlie stays home and becomes a groundskeeper at a cemetery where, every night, he gets to play catch with his younger brother. When Charlie meets a girl named Tess (Amanda Crew), he has to choose between saving her or seeing Sam.

Charlie St. Cloud Explores Familial and Romantic Love

While the film's approach to its heavy themes could certainly be seen as immaturely handled, Charlie St. Cloud, nevertheless, tells a sweet and poignant tale about grief and brotherly love. Like The Lucky One, its exploration of some of the ideas it introduces is never more than surface level, which leaves it feeling overly sentimental. However, also like The Lucky One, the film is anchored by a solid central performance from Efron, who convincingly and assuredly conveys all the character's pain, intensity, and guilt and, in doing so, proves that he has more emotional range than the High School Musical movies would lead you to believe. Rent on AppleTV+.

8 Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
R
Release Date
July 7, 2016
Director
Jake Szymanski
Cast
Zac Efron , Adam Devine , Anna Kendrick , Aubrey Plaza , Stephen Root , Stephanie Faracy
Main Genre
Comedy

In the 2016 comedy, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Efron plays Dave Stangle who, along with his brother Mike, (played by Adam DeVine), posts a Craigslist ad to find the perfect dates for their sister's wedding in Hawaii. Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza play Tatiana and Alice, the girls who respond to the ad in order to get a free vacation. However, it soon becomes clear that the hard-partying brothers have met their match. Surprisingly, the film is based on true events that were later detailed in a book called Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: And a Thousand Cocktails.

Related: Zac Efron's 10 Best Movies Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

A Perfectly Silly Screwball Comedy

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is far from the most intelligent entry in Efron's filmography. It's loud, rude, and very silly. Nevertheless, that doesn't stop it from being a hilarious and enjoyable screwball comedy that's bolstered by a talented and likable cast. The performances of Efron and Devine, in particular, make it worth watching, with their chemistry and comic timing doing a lot of the heavy lifting in what would otherwise be a middling comedy. Stream on Freevee.

7 The Paperboy (2012)

The Paperboy
The Paperboy
R
Release Date
September 14, 2012
Director
Lee Daniels
Main Genre
Thriller

In one of the darker entries in Efron's back catalog, The Paperboy sees the actor taking on the role of Jack Jansen, the brother of Ward Jansen, a reporter who is covering the events surrounding the exoneration of a man on death row. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Pete Dexter, the crime thriller features an all-star cast that also includes Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, and John Cusack.

What Makes It Great

As others on this list indicate, Efron has a habit of choosing to work on generally sub-par films that are vastly improved by a talented cast. The Paperboy is no different. Unfortunately, its story is on the weak side, and it lacks the tension and intrigue of better crime thrillers. That being said, with a cast of big-name stars on top form, some neat direction, and a unique tone, this violent and often steamy neo-noir flick is intriguing enough to warrant a watch. Stream on Hulu.

6 17 Again (2009)

17 Again
17 Again
PG-13
Release Date
March 11, 2009
Director
Burr Steers
Main Genre
Comedy

The very first film Efron starred in after the High School Musical series, 17 Again certainly had a lot to prove. In it, the actor plays the young version of Matthew Perry's character, Mike, who gets the opportunity to live his formative years again when a chance accident transforms him back into his 17-year-old self. With a supporting cast that includes Leslie Mann, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Thomas Lennon, 17 Again was a financial success when it was released in movie theaters in April 2009.

Efron Proves Himself

Taking inspiration from other body transformation comedies, such as Big and Freaky Friday, 17 Again is a light-hearted and entertaining watch that's perfect for casual viewing. While it doesn't exactly bring anything new to the sub-genre, its undemanding, uncomplicated, and uncynical nature will put even the grumpiest of viewers in a good mood. Add to that some nice gags, a great soundtrack, and excellent performances by both Efron and Perry, who convincingly play the same person, and you have a highly enjoyable 00s comedy that served as the perfect post-High School Musical vehicle for Efron. Stream on Prime Video.

5 Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)

Netflix's 2019 true crime drama, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile centers on the life and crimes of real-life serial killer Ted Bundy. Efron stars as the infamous murderer, while the film explores his crimes in great depth from the perspective of Bundy's longtime girlfriend, Liz Kendall (Lily Collins). Based on Kendall's own memoir, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy, the film was directed by documentary and true-crime filmmaker, Joe Berlinger, and co-starred Jeffery Donovan, Dylan Baker, Jim Parsons, and Haley Joel Osment.

A Committed True Crime Turn

Owing to its controversial subject matter, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile wasn't without criticism, with some claiming that the film glamorized Bundy and his crimes. Crew and cast members, including Efron himself, have profusely denied these assertions and, while the intentions behind the film can be debated, what's clear is that here Efron gives one of the best performances of his career. It's a committed turn from the actor, who pours everything he has into the role. The fact that an actor with his amount of charm and likability can transform into such a monster as Bundy just highlights how much range Efron has as a performer. It's an acting tour de force that makes this creepy true-crime drama all the more watchable. Stream on Netflix.

4 Neighbors (2014)

Neighbors
Neighbors
R
Release Date
May 8, 2014
Director
Nick Stoller
Main Genre
Comedy

2014's Neighbors marked Efron's first proper step into the world of full-blown comedy. It's a genre he would return to several times, but none of his later attempts could compete with his first. In the film, Efron plays Teddy Sanders, the President of a rowdy college fraternity. When married couple Kelly and Mac (Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen, respectively), along with their young daughter, unknowingly move into the house next door to the fraternity, they soon find themselves subjected to night after night of wild parties. After attempts to reason with the fraternity fail, the couple decides they need to take their terrible neighbors down once and for all. The film's cast also includes Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Lisa Kudrow.

The Teen Heartthrob Goes Raunchy

Raucous, vulgar, and over-the-top, Neighbors is a far cry from Efron's Disney Channel days. Yet, while the actor's other comedic attempts, such as Baywatch and Dirty Grandpa have been high on shocks but low on laughs, Neighbors delivers on the comedy, with laugh-out-loud gags and hilarious moments from beginning to end. Here, Efron shows off his comedy chops with an excellent performance as a self-centered and scheming egotist who lacks the ability to put himself in the shoes of others. Is it the most intelligent film ever? Like Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, the answer is no. But when the humor is this good, it really doesn't matter. Neighbors was followed by a 2016 sequel that, although not bad, couldn't quite recapture the magic of the original. Stream on Netflix.

3 Gold (2022)

Despite being known for starring in popular comedies and big-budget blockbusters, one of Efron's best films is a little-known Australian thriller. 2022's Gold is a survival film set in a near dystopian future that tells the story of a drifter named Virgil (Efron) who, upon finding the largest gold nugget the world has ever seen, sets out to guard it from thieves who are looking to get their hands on it. As he waits for his partner to return with help, Virgil faces other dangers of the desert, such as a pack of wild dogs.

Efron Takes On Action

Gold is exactly the type of film you wouldn't expect Zac Efron to star in, and that's precisely what makes it great. If Neighbors is a far cry from the actor's High School Musical days, this is about the furthest it can get. It's a brutal and relentless film that, like most survival films, is simple in premise, but thrilling to watch. Furthermore, like others on this list, a big reason why this film works is down to the performance of Efron. Being the only character on screen for large stretches of the movie's runtime means he is forced to carry the whole show by himself, and he does so capably, with a committed and understated performance that deserves more attention. Stream on Hulu.

2 The Greatest Showman (2017)

the greatest showman
The Greatest Showman
PG
Release Date
December 20, 2017
Director
Michael Gracey
Main Genre
Musical

2017's The Greatest Showman brought Efron back to his musical roots. Based on the life of P.T. Barnum, the film follows the entertainer's journey from humble beginnings to founding the world's most famous traveling circus, the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Efron plays Phillip Carlyle, a playwright from a wealthy family. He is brought into Barnum's (Hugh Jackman) circus to try and provide more sophisticated stories that will appeal to a wealthier subject. As the story progresses, Phillip develops feelings for a trapeze artist named Anne (Zendaya), who is met with disapproval from Phillip's racist parents. Together, Philip and Anne perform the beautiful love song, "Rewrite the Stars," which is bolstered by some impressive aerial choreography. The film's main cast also includes Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Keala Settle.

A Triumphant Return to Musicals

Though it might not be a historically accurate portrayal of the real-life story of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is all the better for it, with the film's unashamed cheesiness and sense of joy making it a truly feel-good watch. Furthermore, with the addition of more than a few catchy songs, some well-choreographed dance numbers, and a star-studded cast having the time of their lives, it's a movie extravaganza that's reminiscent of musical films from days gone by. Efron shows here that he hasn't lost his touch, throwing himself into the musical numbers with the same vigor and enthusiasm he brought to the films that made him famous. Overall, The Greatest Showman is a crowd-pleasing spectacle that's worthy of a sequel. Stream on Disney+.

1 The Iron Claw (2023)

The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw
Release Date
December 22, 2023
Director
Sean Durkin
Cast
Jeremy Allen White , Zac Efron , Lily James , Harris Dickinson , Maura Tierney
Main Genre
Biography

Read Our Review

The latest entry in Efron's growing filmography also happens to be the best. Directed by Sean Durkin, The Iron Claw tells the real-life story of the Von Erich family, a dynasty of professional wrestlers who achieved a great deal of success in the early 80s. Primarily focusing on the relationship between three of the six Von Erich brothers, Kevin, Kerry, and David (played by Efron, Jeremy Allen White, and Harris Dickinson, respectively), the film depicts each of their gleeful highs and tragic lows both inside and out of the ring,

A Critically Acclaimed Success

As much as The Iron Claw is a sports movie about wrestling, it's also an intensely personal, intimate, and heartbreaking look at family, brotherly bonds, and the price of fame. It's about self-destruction and toxic masculinity, which are both themes the film covers in an intelligent and mature manner. With some smart direction, well-choreographed fight scenes, and a solid script, it's easily the most well-made film Efron has ever appeared in. Add to that magnificent performances from the cast, including some career-best turns from its three leads, and The Iron Claw is a must-watch for casual audiences and cinephiles alike. As should be apparent from this list, Efron is a greater range than he gets credit for, but with this film that could all be about to change.