“Backrooms” has crossed a major theatrical threshold, pushing past $400 million worldwide after nearly four months in cinemas and cementing its status as one of the year’s most striking box office stories.
The A24 horror hit has earned $197.5 million domestically and $202.57 million internationally, bringing its global total to $400.09 million. That would be a meaningful result for any genre release; for a film produced for $10 million, it is a breakout on a different scale. The movie now stands as A24’s highest-grossing film of all time and ranks among the year’s most profitable releases.
Directed by YouTuber Kane Parsons, “Backrooms” blew past expectations with strong word-of-mouth and intense interest from Gen Z moviegoers. Its performance, alongside another youth-driven horror phenomenon, “Obsession,” has challenged the notion that younger audiences were disengaged from theatrical moviegoing.
“Obsession,” directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker, was produced for $750,000 and has earned $516 million globally. Together, the two low-budget horror hits have become defining examples of how online-native filmmakers and audiences can reshape the theatrical conversation.
A24’s record-setting summer
The success of “Backrooms” powered A24 to its biggest summer to date. The indie distributor finished the season with $237 million in total box office, ranking fourth among distributors and ahead of Paramount, which posted $192 million, and Warner Bros., which posted $165 million.
A24 trailed only Universal, with $1.12 billion; Sony, with $978.8 million; and Disney, with $664 million. It was a rare instance of an independent distributor outgrossing major studios during one of the busiest moviegoing periods of the year. Focus Features, which released “Obsession,” is owned by Universal.
“Backrooms” has also rewritten A24’s own record book. Its $400.09 million worldwide haul towers over the company’s previous all-time high, “Marty Supreme,” which grossed $192 million. The film also delivered A24’s biggest opening weekend, launching with $81 million domestically and $118 million worldwide.
That domestic debut more than tripled A24’s prior opening-weekend record, held by Alex Garland’s 2024 thriller “Civil War,” which opened to $25.5 million. Parsons also became the youngest filmmaker with a No. 1 film at the box office. He was 20 when “Backrooms” reached the top spot, surpassing the benchmark previously held by Josh Trank, who was 27 when “Chronicle” opened at No. 1 in 2012 with $22 million.
Where the film is performing overseas
Internationally, “Backrooms” has found major support across several territories. Outside the United States and Canada, its top markets are China with $27.8 million, Mexico with $17.8 million, the United Kingdom with $17.6 million, Australia and New Zealand with $12.3 million, and France with $12.2 million.
The film is based on Parsons’ popular web series about liminal spaces: unsettling, seemingly endless rooms and structures. The concept originated on 4chan and grew in popularity over time across online forums including Reddit and TikTok.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve and Mark Duplass star in the movie, which follows a furniture store operator who discovers an endless series of liminal spaces beneath the store.
What happens next?
A sequel has not been confirmed. Parsons has, however, hinted that he wants to turn “Backrooms” into a film franchise. In the meantime, the scale of the film’s breakout has already made him a filmmaker to watch, as studios look for the next creator capable of turning online momentum into box office power.