Horror Film Backrooms Challenges Star Wars at Box Office

The horror film Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons, is poised to achieve one of the most successful opening weekends in horror history, with independent projections suggesting a total of $75 million to $90 million [1, 2]. The film, based on a viral YouTube series, is currently competing with Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu for the top spot at the domestic box office [1, 3].

Key takeaways

• Backrooms earned $10.4 million from Thursday preview screenings across 3,442 locations [1].
• The film is on track to surpass the previous A24 opening weekend record of $25.5 million set by Civil War [1, 2].
• Industry sources report the film had a $38 million opening day, exceeding initial expectations [2].
• Produced on an estimated $10 million budget, the film is considered highly profitable [2].
• Critical reception for the movie has been generally positive, with an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes [1].

From YouTube Viral Hit to Theatrical Blockbuster

The film’s rapid ascent is attributed to the established popularity of Kane Parsons’ original YouTube series, which utilized Blender and Unreal Engine to amass over 190 million views [3]. The big-screen adaptation features a cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, and Mark Duplass [3]. While The Mandalorian and Grogu opened last weekend with $81.6 million, Backrooms has demonstrated significant momentum, with theatrical sources noting that presales and audience interest surged throughout the week [1].

There is some variance in the projected weekend totals, with some industry estimates placing the opening between $40 million and $45 million, while others suggest it could reach as high as $90 million [2, 3]. Regardless of the final figure, the film is expected to significantly outperform A24’s previous records [1, 2]. This success occurs alongside the continued strong performance of another Gen Z-focused horror hit, Obsession, which is expected to surpass $100 million in domestic grosses this weekend [1, 3].

Why it matters

The strong performance of Backrooms highlights a growing trend of studios successfully leveraging internet-native intellectual property to attract younger audiences [3]. By tapping into the "YouTube generation," studios are finding success with lower-budget, high-engagement projects that can compete with major franchise films [2, 3]. This weekend’s results contribute to a robust May for the box office, which has crossed $1 billion in domestic grosses for the first time since 2019, marking a significant recovery pace for the industry since the COVID-19 pandemic [1].