The transition from YouTube creator to prestige horror filmmaker has officially arrived, as two viral-born directors claim the top spots at this weekend’s box office.
Backrooms Shatters A24 Records
Taking the No. 1 position, “Backrooms” is a feature-length expansion of Kane Parsons’ series of YouTube videos. The film explores an eerie, physics-defying office space originally inspired by a 4chan thread.
Directed by Parsons, “Backrooms” is projected to bring in an estimated $81 million domestically this weekend. This figure marks a massive milestone for indie studio A24, far surpassing the previous opening weekend record held by “Civil War,” which earned $25.7 million.
Obsession’s Historic Theatrical Run
The No. 2 film, “Obsession,” is achieving a rare feat in modern cinema. While its estimated weekend haul is $26.4 million, the story—a romantic thriller turned nightmare—has defied standard box office gravity. Not only did it earn more in its second weekend than its first, but it is also poised to grow another 10% in its third.
For context, most wide-release films typically experience a 50-70% drop after their opening weekend. While last year’s “Sinners” was hailed as an extraordinary word-of-mouth success for falling less than 5%, “Obsession” is rewriting the rules. According to the Hollywood Reporter, it is the first film since 1982 to see growth in both its second and third weekends.
The film is directed by Curry Barker, who built his reputation on YouTube with projects like the 2024 hour-long horror feature “Milk & Serial.” Barker is already slated to direct a remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
The Rise of the Creator-Director
These successes follow the surprise success of “Iron Lung,” a video game adaptation directed by Mark Fischbach (Markiplier), which grossed nearly $41 million domestically earlier this year.
In a New York Times article discussing the “YouTube-to-filmmaker boomlet,” Rutgers Cinema general manager Alex DelVecchio noted that while many YouTubers have struggled to make the leap to mainstream film, creators like Parsons (20) and Barker (26) possess a unique advantage: longevity.
“At this point, some of them have been making videos for a very long time, and that’s how you develop a loyal audience that will follow you,” DelVecchio explained.
Both films outperformed “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first Star Wars movie in seven years, which is tracking for a $24 million weekend.
Having viewed “Obsession,” it is clear the hype is earned; the film is a gripping experience that keeps the audience on edge from start to finish.
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