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 Farmer Ted (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.