‘Backroom’ turns anonymous comments into viral horror movie
Backroom, the buzzy horror movie starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsuv, is based on a web series based on internet comments.
YouTubers in their 20s are revolutionizing Hollywood.
Backrooms, a new horror movie based on an internet meme, surprised box office analysts with a record opening weekend. The film, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsuv and directed by 20-year-old YouTuber Kane Parsons, grossed an impressive $81.5 million at the domestic box office in its first three days of release, according to estimates released by ComScore on Sunday, May 31st.
That’s not only much higher than previous expectations, but an opening similar to that of the latest Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, which grossed $81.7 million in the first three days of the holiday weekend.
“Backrooms” also easily had the biggest weekend opening in A24 history, a record previously held by 2024’s “Civil War,” which opened with $25.5 million.
“Backrooms” is an adaptation of Parsons’ popular web series in which the characters explore an eerie alternate dimension of endless, sparse rooms. The YouTube series itself, which Parsons created primarily on his laptop while he was still in high school, was inspired by an anonymous internet comment that turned the backroom idea into a meme. Parsons was the youngest director in A24’s history and made the film on a budget of $10 million.
“The Back Room” is not the only horror film by a young director to record an astonishing box office success.
“Obsession” is also ruining word of mouth. The film, about a young man whose wish for his crush to love him goes awry, achieved the unusual feat of earning more money at the box office in subsequent weekends than when it was first released. According to Comscore, the film collected $17 million in its first weekend, but $26.4 million in its third weekend. This puts it in second place this weekend behind “Backrooms.”
Like “Backrooms,” “Obsession” was directed by 26-year-old YouTuber Callie Barker.
The Mandalorian & Grogu ranked third. The Mandalorian, the first Star Wars release since 2019, was widely expected to remain the number one movie at the box office. Instead, box office receipts plummeted to $25 million in its second weekend, a potentially troubling sign for a film series trying to regain its foothold in movie theaters after a long hiatus.
The success of “Backrooms” and “Obsession” could have a major impact on the film industry, suggesting that established franchises like “Star Wars” may not be the sure-fire box office successes they once were.
Audiences seem to be hungry for more novel ideas, at least in the horror field. With the rise of young talent like Parsons and Barker, it seems like a new era has arrived in Hollywood.
