Kane Parsons Teases New Characters in ‘Backrooms 2’ and Says the Franchise Needs an Ending

Few horror stories have traveled as far as the Backrooms. What began as an eerie photo of an empty office space turned into a viral web series, a hit movie and a full-blown franchise. Now the filmmaker behind that rise is already thinking about where it all ends.

Kane Parsons has spent the months since his feature debut juggling praise, box office records and constant questions about what comes next. The answers he has given suggest a creator who is excited to keep building but also has a clear sense of when to stop. That’s a rare attitude for a young filmmaker holding a hit property.

Appearing on ‘The Kyle Buchanan Show‘, Parsons teased that there are new characters in the ‘Backrooms‘ universe that he still wants to introduce, as well as ideas he hasn’t gotten to yet. He didn’t say who those characters are or where they might appear. He was responding to a question about what he might do differently in a second movie.

He also made clear that he sees an eventual conclusion for the series. According to The Playlist, he explained that at some point you would know if continuing the franchise had reached its limit and that the story had said all it had to say. In his view, the property can’t go on forever, and he already has an ending in mind.

The idea behind the franchise started with a 2019 post on 4chan featuring a photo of an unsettling empty hallway, which inspired a creepypasta about people who ‘noclip’ out of reality. Parsons, who is known online as Kane Pixels, released a found-footage short in January 2022 that grew into a web series and defined the look of the concept. Its yellow rooms, fluorescent hum and sense of liminal space made it a viral sensation.

A24 announced a film adaptation in 2023, and ‘Backrooms’ arrived in theaters on May 29, 2026. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Clark, a furniture store owner and failed architect, alongside Renate Reinsve, with Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell and Avan Jogia rounding out the cast. James Wan and Shawn Levy are among the producers.

The movie opened to $81.5 million domestically and $118 million worldwide, which made it A24’s biggest opening weekend ever. It also made Parsons the youngest filmmaker to reach number one at the American box office. Fangoria reports the film grossed nearly $400 million globally, while other outlets have cited slightly different figures as the run progressed.

Those numbers are especially notable given the movie’s reported budget of around $10 million. A24 later brought the film back to theaters with an extended edition featuring bonus footage. It has since found a streaming home on HBO Max.

Reports from Dread Central have said that Parsons has signed on to direct a sequel, informally referred to as ‘Backrooms 2′, and that an official announcement was imminent. TechRadar and Outlook India picked up the report, though it’s worth noting that the studio hasn’t made a formal announcement in the sources I found. Parsons’ own comments leave room for the idea without confirming any details.

The director has also floated different ways to continue the story. Fangoria reported that his dream scenario for the franchise isn’t a movie sequel at all, and The Playlist notes that he has described ending ‘Backrooms’ with a limited series. He has also hinted at more projects on the horizon, and in May 2026 he confirmed that the web series would continue.

The first trailer for the ‘BACKROOMS’ film has been released. In theaters on May 29. https://t.co/DFhlfmPtWo

— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) February 24, 2026

Many horror properties struggle because they keep going long after the central idea has run out. Parsons appears determined to avoid that fate. By planning an ending, he can build toward a finale rather than stretching the concept thin.

The approach also fits the nature of the story itself. The Backrooms is a place defined by endless repetition, and a story about getting trapped in infinity may feel stronger if it eventually finds a way out. A limited series or a final film could give the mythology a satisfying shape.

For now, the biggest takeaway is that more ‘Backrooms’ is likely coming, but not forever. New characters and unexplored ideas suggest the world still has room to grow. And with the franchise’s creator at the helm, fans can expect the story to be guided by a clear vision rather than a corporate checklist.

It also means audiences should savor each new installment. If Parsons has an ending in mind, every project may be a step toward that destination. That gives the franchise a sense of purpose that many sprawling horror series lack.

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