Will 'Backrooms' get sequel after record-shattering box office opening?
It's the dawn of a new age in genre filmmaking.
The low-budget horror film Obsession, directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker, has grossed $95.8 million through strong word of mouth and the loyalty of fans who've followed Barker's YouTube work over the years. It kept pace with a massive Disney release in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu on opening weekend, and daily box office tracking indicates Obsession grossed more than the snoozer from a galaxy far, far away on Wednesday.
Backrooms is approaching a similar path. A liminal horror film based on 20-year-old director Kane Parsons' hit web series, Backrooms made $10.4 million in Thursday previews at the box office, putting it on pace to smash A24's box office opening record. Alex Garland's Civil War currently holds the crown with a $25.5 million opening back in 2024.
Audiences are clearly resonating with young creators who established their creative voices through other mediums, namely YouTube. So, how will Parsons capitalize on the industry-rattling shift? He revealed his plans for the future in an interview with the New York Times' Kyle Buchanan, including what he hopes for the Backrooms universe.
Will Backrooms get a sequel?
Parsons is "open" to a sequel but says he'd prefer to continue the story through a television series he's already envisioned.
"I feel like I'm going to go insane if I don't get this out of my system," Parsons told Buchanan. "The reason I do Backrooms at all is for stuff that hasn't quite happened yet."
What's Parson's dream project?
A feature-length adaption of Portal, a puzzle-platform video game with a claustrophobic, atmospheric vibe akin to Backrooms.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Will 'Backrooms' get sequel after record-shattering box office opening?
Reporting by Wajih AlBaroudi, For The Win / For The Win
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 12:45 PM.