Hollywood witnessed a dramatic changing of the guard at the weekend box office as “Backrooms,” a low-budget horror film directed by 20-year-old YouTube creator Kane Parsons, stormed to the top spot with an astonishing $81.5 million domestic debut, narrowly missing the opening-weekend haul posted by Disney’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” a week earlier.
Released by A24 in 3,442 theaters across the United States and Canada, “Backrooms” delivered one of the most surprising openings in recent memory, transforming an internet-born horror phenomenon into a mainstream cinematic success. The film’s opening weekend gross is particularly remarkable given its modest $10 million production budget, making it one of the most profitable theatrical launches of the year.
The success of “Backrooms” underscores the growing influence of digital creators in Hollywood and signals a potential shift in how studios identify and develop new intellectual property. Originally conceived as a creepypasta—an internet-generated urban legend—the story was adapted by Parsons into a viral YouTube series created with the open-source 3D graphics software Blender. The project eventually attracted the attention of producers James Wan and Shawn Levy, leading to a feature film adaptation starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve.
The horror sensation also proved to be a global hit. Including international markets, “Backrooms” has already generated $118 million worldwide. A24 said the film’s performance makes Parsons the youngest director ever to helm the number one movie globally. The opening also shattered the studio’s previous box-office record, surpassing the $25.5 million debut achieved by “Civil War” in 2024.
Audience demographics revealed the film’s strong appeal among younger moviegoers. Exit polling showed that 86 percent of ticket buyers were under the age of 35, while more than half were younger than 25. Nearly 44 percent of the audience was under 21, with many attending screenings in groups. The strong turnout led to reports of sold-out showings, packed auditoriums and repeat viewings across the country. Despite the enthusiastic audience response, the film earned a B- CinemaScore.
The weekend’s biggest surprise was not limited to “Backrooms.” Another filmmaker who rose to prominence on YouTube continued to make waves at the box office. “Obsession,” directed by 26-year-old content creator Curry Barker, maintained remarkable momentum in its third weekend of release. The independently produced horror film added $26.4 million domestically, representing a 10 percent increase over the previous weekend and securing second place on the charts.
Produced for less than $1 million, “Obsession” has now amassed $104.7 million in North America, becoming the highest-grossing domestic release in the history of Focus Features. Its sustained performance further highlighted the growing commercial power of creator-led projects in theatrical distribution.
Meanwhile, Disney’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” slipped to third place after experiencing a steep second-weekend decline. The film earned $25 million, a drop of approximately 69 percent from its opening weekend. Despite the decline, the latest installment in the iconic franchise has accumulated $246.6 million worldwide.
The strong performances from creator-driven films overshadowed several notable new releases. Sony’s family comedy “The Breadwinner,” starring comedian Nate Bargatze, debuted in fifth place with $7.5 million, while the World War II drama “Pressure,” featuring Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser, opened in seventh place with $5.8 million.
Elsewhere, “Michael” continued its impressive theatrical run, earning $11.7 million in its sixth weekend to finish fourth. The musical biopic has now generated $339.9 million domestically, cementing its status as one of the year’s biggest commercial successes.
Industry observers say the weekend could represent a watershed moment for movie theaters and film studios alike. For years, YouTube and digital platforms were viewed as competitors to traditional cinema. However, the overwhelming success of “Backrooms” and “Obsession” suggests that internet creators may now be among the industry’s most valuable sources of fresh storytelling, loyal audiences and commercially viable franchises.
The results also demonstrate that younger viewers remain willing to turn out in large numbers for theatrical experiences when presented with content that resonates with them, offering a promising signal for exhibitors navigating a rapidly evolving entertainment landscape.
According to Comscore’s weekend estimates, “Backrooms” led the domestic box office with $81.5 million, followed by “Obsession” with $26.4 million and “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” with $25 million. “Michael” placed fourth with $11.7 million, while “The Breadwinner” rounded out the top five with $7.5 million.
As Hollywood searches for the next generation of blockbuster filmmakers, this weekend delivered a powerful message: the future may already be uploading videos online.
