Both Obsession (2025) as Backrooms (2026) have broken records at the box office in recent weeks. Obsession is directed by 26-year-old YouTuber Curry Baker with a budget of $750,000. Backrooms is directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, who went viral on YouTube with his Backrooms short film.
New generation
Horror producers Jason Blum and James Wan believe the young filmmakers are currently revitalizing the horror industry. According to the makers behind films like The Conjuring (2013), Saw (2004) in Insidious (2010) ensure films like Backrooms in Obsession for a completely new generation of horror hits.
Blum called the current development comparable to the innovative horror films of the 1970s. According to him, young makers are now once again given the opportunity to make original and daring films with small budgets.
From YouTube to Hollywood
Backrooms originally started as a short horror video on YouTube by Kane Parsons, better known as Kane Pixels. The mysterious video full of endless yellow corridors and deserted spaces grew into a gigantic internet phenomenon. A24 decided to make a full cinema film of the concept, with success! Backrooms will likely be the film with the best box office opening of any A24 film in its first weekend.
Also Obsession originated from the online horror world. For years, Barker made sketches on YouTube. Now his horror film is the first film since 1982 to earn more at the box office two weekends in a row. According to various media, the success of both films proves that young audiences continue to flock to original horror films from new makers.
