‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ Are Breaking Records and Taking Over the Box Office

Producers Jason Blum and James Wan believe that recent horror films like Obsession and Backrooms are helping to revive the movie industry. The discussion was reported from the PGA panel where both producers spoke about the current state of cinema, the recovery of theaters after COVID, and the future of their joint company Blumhouse–Atomic Monster.

During the panel, Blum said the success of these films feels similar to an earlier era of filmmaking. He explained, “There’s almost this feeling of the ’70s, of a new generation of young people making edgy movies that are connecting in theaters in a crazy way,” while referring to Obsession director Curry Barker and Backrooms director Kane Parsons, who are both very young and come from online content creation backgrounds.

Blum also talked about how the movie industry has struggled since the pandemic. He said there has been a slow feeling around theatrical releases and questioned whether theaters were still important. However, he pointed out that Obsession and Backrooms are proving that audiences still want to go to cinemas. According to Blum, these films are different because they come from creators who started on the internet rather than traditional film schools or studio systems.

Obsession was released on May 15, 2026. It was written and directed by Curry Barker, who is 26 years old and known for his work on YouTube. The film had a very low budget of around $750,000 but has grown in popularity during its run. It is now in its third week and is showing unusual box office behavior, with increases in its weekly earnings rather than the typical decline seen in most films.

Backrooms, directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, is another major example discussed at the event. The film is based on Parsons’ viral YouTube horror series. It was produced with a budget of about $10 million and is expected to reach one of A24’s strongest openings ever, with estimates reaching up to $90 million. It is also co-financed by Chernin Entertainment.

Blum and Wan also mentioned future plans for their company Blumhouse–Atomic Monster, which merged in 2024. The company now works across film, television, gaming, and live events. They said their goal is to keep adapting to audiences and avoid becoming too comfortable with their success.

Wan, known for directing films like Saw, The Conjuring, and Insidious, also spoke about his personal connection to horror. He said he grew up watching horror films from the 1980s and 1990s, inspired by filmmakers such as John Carpenter and Wes Craven. He explained that horror continues to play a key role in keeping the film industry alive. He said, “The horror genre keeps saving our industry.”

Blum also shared his long-term vision for the company. He said, “The Disney of horror” is the aspiration in five years. This reflects their ambition to build a large, multi-platform horror brand that continues to expand into new areas while keeping the genre fresh and appealing to younger audiences.

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