A24’s Backrooms, the viral horror film from 20-year-old director Kane Parsons, has shattered box office records with a $85M–$89M opening weekend—surpassing even Disney’s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu in its second week. The film’s $38.4M Friday haul alone broke A24’s preview-day record, proving that internet-born IP can dominate mainstream cinema. Meanwhile, Curry Barker’s Obsession is defying gravity in its third weekend with a 19% jump, rewriting the rules for indie horror.
How a YouTube Short Became A24’s Biggest Opening Ever
Parsons’ film adapts his 2022 YouTube series, which began as a niche internet meme before exploding into a cultural phenomenon. The original short, The Backrooms (Found Footage), racked up 78 million views alone, and Parsons—who was just 16 when he uploaded it—quickly became Hollywood’s hottest internet-born filmmaker. His pitch to A24 came the same week he submitted college applications, making him the studio’s youngest director ever. Now, four years later, his feature debut is not just a record-setter; it’s a blueprint for how viral content translates to blockbuster success.
The film’s opening numbers—projected between $85M and $89M—dwarf A24’s previous record (Civil War’s $25.5M in 2024) and even outpace Disney’s Mandalorian and Grogu, which is expected to gross around $25M in its second weekend. What’s more, Backrooms is launching in 50 international territories, with estimates suggesting a global debut between $121M and $124M. That puts it on track to compete with Everything Everywhere All at Once—A24’s highest-grossing film—as the studio’s most successful mainstream release.
The key to its success? A hyper-targeted, fan-driven campaign. Unlike traditional studio blitzes, A24 spent in the ballpark of Neon’s Longlegs (under $10M), but with surgical precision, focusing on the exact audience that built the IP online. The result: a fanbase so devoted that attendees at the AERO Los Angeles premiere boasted of seeing the film three times already. PostTrak data shows 53% of viewers would “definitely recommend” it, with women under 25 driving 24% of the audience and a 72% positive score from that demo. The film’s CinemaScore of B– hasn’t hurt its momentum—audience scores often lag behind box office for horror, where passion outweighs critical consensus.
cluster (priority): Variety
Obsession’s Unprecedented Third-Weekend Surge
While Backrooms was making headlines, Curry Barker’s Obsession was rewriting the box office rulebook. The $750,000 horror film—directed by a 26-year-old YouTuber—has already grossed $106.8M globally, making it Focus Features’ highest-grossing movie ever. But its third weekend is where the real magic happened: after a 39% jump in its second week, the film is now up 19% again, grossing an estimated $28.5M. That’s a feat last seen in 1982 with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it’s happening without the benefit of a holiday or franchise backing.
Industry analysts are calling it “virtually unprecedented” for a wide-release film to spike in its third weekend. Barker, who shot his next film Anything But Ghosts while editing Obsession, is now in talks for a Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot with A24. The success of both Backrooms and Obsession signals a seismic shift: internet creators aren’t just making movies—they’re outpacing established franchises.
The contrast with Disney’s Mandalorian and Grogu couldn’t be starker. After a $33.7M opening weekend, the film is now projected to gross just $25M in its second week—a 70% drop. Disney insiders have downplayed box office concerns, pointing to the film’s impact on merch, parks, and Disney+ as part of its “pinwheel effect.” But for now, the internet’s homegrown horror films are stealing the spotlight.
cluster (priority): Forbes
Why Star Wars Is Struggling (And What It Means for Franchises)
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu’s box office decline isn’t just a blip—it’s a symptom of a broader trend. The film’s $6.5M Friday haul marks an 80% drop from its opening day, and its second-weekend total is now expected to land around $25M, far below initial projections of $40M. While its global gross of $171M is respectable, it’s a far cry from the $100M+ Disney typically expects from a Star Wars release.
What’s happening here? For one, audiences are fatigued by the franchise’s relentless output. The last three Star Wars films—Rogue One, The Rise of Skywalker, and The Mandalorian and Grogu—have all underperformed relative to expectations. Meanwhile, the rise of internet-born IP like Backrooms and Obsession proves that today’s moviegoers are hungry for fresh, unpredictable stories—not just sequels and spin-offs.
Disney’s strategy of leaning into the “pinwheel effect” (merchandise, parks, streaming) is a smart long-term play, but it’s not a box office panacea. Mandalorian and Grogu’s struggles suggest that even mega-franchises can’t take their audience’s attention for granted. The question now is whether this shift is permanent—or if Star Wars can recapture its magic.
Backrooms | Official Trailer HD | A24
The New Guard vs. The Old Guard: Who’s Winning?
The box office this weekend wasn’t just a battle between films—it was a clash of eras. On one side, you have the internet’s new auteurs: Parsons at 20, Barker at 26, both turning viral memes into box office gold. On the other, you have the established studios, betting big on franchises like Star Wars and Michael (which added $3.5M Friday but remains stuck at $340M after six weeks).
The numbers don’t lie:
Backrooms: $38.4M Friday, $85M–$89M weekend, global debut $121M–$124M.
Obsession: $28.5M third weekend, 19% uptick, $106.8M global gross.
Mandalorian and Grogu: $6.5M Friday, $25M projected weekend, $171M global.
The Breadwinner: $2.75M Friday, $7.5M weekend (despite a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score and 87% audience score).
What’s clear is that the old playbook—relying on franchises and big budgets—isn’t enough anymore. Audiences want authenticity, and they’ll pay to see it. Backrooms’s success isn’t just about its horror premise; it’s about the way it connects with fans who grew up on YouTube, Reddit, and 4chan. That same energy is fueling Obsession’s longevity, proving that word-of-mouth and repeat viewings can outperform even the most hyped blockbusters.
For studios, the lesson is simple: the future belongs to creators who understand digital culture—not just those who adapt it.
cluster (priority): The Hollywood Reporter
What’s Next for A24 and the Internet Film Revolution
A24’s dominance this weekend isn’t just a one-hit wonder. The studio has been quietly building a pipeline of internet-born talent, and Backrooms is just the beginning. Parsons’ success follows Barker’s Obsession, and both directors are now in talks for high-profile projects (Barker’s Texas Chainsaw reboot, Parsons’ next untitled film). If this trend continues, we could see a wave of YouTube creators transitioning to feature films—each with their own dedicated fanbases and built-in marketing.
For A24, the challenge will be balancing these passion-driven hits with its Oscar-caliber prestige films. The studio’s track record with Everything Everywhere All at Once and Nomadland proves it can win both the box office and the awards—but Backrooms shows that its future may lie more with the former.
As for the broader industry, the message is clear: the internet isn’t just changing how movies are made—it’s changing who gets to make them. The next generation of filmmakers won’t just be adapting viral content; they’ll be creating it from the ground up. And if Backrooms and Obsession are any indication, audiences are ready to follow.
Jasmine Brooks curates coverage of film, music, and digital culture. She began her career as an arts columnist for The Evening Tribune and has since interviewed creatives across Hollywood, Seoul, and London. Her focus blends culture, diversity, and storytelling excellence.
