‘Backrooms’ Delivers Record-Breaking Opening Weekend, Setting New Milestones for A24 & Young Directors Everywhere
A24 has achieved the biggest opening weekend in its history thanks to Backrooms, the new horror film directed by Kane Parsons.
According to reported box office figures, Backrooms earned an impressive $81.5 million during its opening weekend in North America and reached $118 million worldwide. The film was made on a production budget of just $10 million, making its debut one of the most profitable starts for a studio release in recent years.
The success is also a major milestone for Kane Parsons. At only 20 years old, he has become the youngest director ever to have the number one film at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. The achievement puts Parsons in the record books and marks a remarkable rise for the filmmaker, who first gained attention through his online Backrooms horror videos.
The opening numbers have surpassed all previous A24 releases. The studio has built a strong reputation with critically acclaimed films over the years, but Backrooms has now delivered its largest debut by a wide margin. Industry observers also note that the film has set a new record for the highest opening weekend ever achieved by an original movie directed by a first-time filmmaker.
A major reason for the film’s success appears to be its connection with younger audiences. Reports show that 86% of ticket buyers were under the age of 35. Even more striking, 66% were younger than 25 and 44% were under 21 years old. Those numbers highlight the strong appeal the film has among Gen Z and Gen Alpha viewers.
The audience breakdown has drawn comparisons to the 2023 horror hit “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” which also attracted a large number of younger moviegoers. However, Backrooms appears to have gone even further in reaching that demographic. Its popularity online, combined with years of fan interest in the Backrooms internet phenomenon, helped create significant excitement before release.
Despite receiving audience scores that are positive but not exceptional, including a B- CinemaScore and a 74% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has already generated enough revenue to secure a theatrical profit. Analysts expect it to continue climbing rapidly at the global box office. It is also projected to surpass A24’s current highest-grossing film in the near future.
While Backrooms dominated headlines, it was not the only horror success story at theaters this weekend. Focus Features’ Obsession continued its strong run and delivered another impressive performance. In its third weekend, the film earned $26.4 million domestically, representing a 10% increase from the previous weekend.
The film has now reached $104.7 million in North America and $148 million worldwide. According to industry reports, those figures represent a new record for Focus Features. Unlike Backrooms, which benefited from years of online popularity, Obsession built its audience through strong word of mouth after generating buzz following its midnight premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Many moviegoers have praised the film’s disturbing story and the performance of actress Inde Navarrette, helping the horror title attract new viewers week after week. Current projections suggest the movie could eventually pass $200 million domestically.
One interesting connection links both of the weekend’s biggest horror hits. Jason Blum and James Wan’s merged horror company, Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, was involved in both productions. Atomic Monster co-produced Backrooms alongside Chernin Entertainment and 21 Laps, while Blumhouse served as a producer on Obsession.
With two horror films breaking records at the same time, the weekend has become one of the strongest periods the genre has seen in years. For A24, Focus Features, and especially Kane Parsons, it is a moment that could have a lasting impact on the future of horror filmmaking.
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