A pair of low-budget horror films created by young YouTube filmmakers drew large Gen Z audiences to theaters this weekend.
It wasn't for the big budget "Star Wars" movie, "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which fell sharply in its second weekend, however, but for a small budget horror from a 20-year-old first-time filmmaker that began on the internet.
"Backrooms," released by A24 in 3,442 locations in the U.S. and Canada, made an astonishing $81.4 million in its first three days in theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday. That's just a few hundred thousand dollars shy of what "The Mandalorian and Grogu" earned in its first three days last weekend; And "Backrooms," which was directed and co-written by YouTube creator Kane Parsons, cost only $10 million to produce.
The wild success of "Backrooms" didn't even hurt "Obsession," which is also the directorial debut of a YouTuber, Curry Barker, who is only 26. Three weekends in, "Obsession," a movie that cost less than $1 million to make, still hasn't dropped below its opening weekend earnings. This weekend, it was up 10% with another $26.4 million for a second-place finish, leaving Star Wars, the legacy franchise movie from the veteran filmmaker and the Walt Disney Studios, in third with $25 million.
YouTube might not be the death of movie theaters after all. If this weekend is any indication, it could be the industry's new great hope.
This is a weekend where theaters also hosted the debuts of "The Breadwinner," a PG-rated family comedy starring the popular comedian Nate Bargatze, and "Pressure," a solid World War II drama about the tense 72 hours before D-Day with Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser. But it was the 20-something YouTubers that drew the most crowds.
"Backrooms" started as a creepypasta - an internet-generated urban legend - before Parsons turned the concept, about a never-ending expanse of dull, depressing rooms and hallways, into a viral web series, which he made with the help of the open-source 3D graphics software Blender. It caught the attention of James Wan and Shawn Levy's production companies who were interested in taking it to the next level; Soon a movie was in development with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve starring.
It wasn't just a domestic hit either; Including international showings, "Backrooms" has already made $118 million globally. A24 said Parsons is now the youngest director to have a No. 1 film globally. It's also a record opening for the studio, whose previous high-water mark was "Civil War," which opened to $25.5 million in 2024.
The R-rated film was well-reviewed by critics and drew a young and diverse crowd to theaters. According to exit polls, 86% of the audience was under 35, more than half were under 25 and 44% were under 21. Many attended in groups and there were reports of sold-out shows, packed theaters and repeat viewings. Audiences gave it a less-than-stellar B- CinemaScore, however.
"Obsession," which has now made $104.7 million in North America, is now Focus Features' highest grossing domestic release. "The Mandalorian and Grogu," meanwhile, fell around 69% from its opening last weekend. The movie has now made $246.6 million globally.
