To the surprise of absolutely nobody who has spent the last few years watching teenagers freak out over fluorescent lighting online, A24’s Backrooms just shredded the box office with a monumental $118 million opening weekend.
So, yes. Obviously, there is going to be a sequel.
Filmmaker Kane Parsons, the teenage wunderkind who turned a viral YouTube series into a blockbuster phenomenon, has made no secret about his grand ambitions. On the press tour, he openly stated he has taken the IP as far as it can go on YouTube and intends to expand the franchise into a feature-length anthology.
The State of the Sequel: Right Now, This Minute
So, what is happening with Backrooms 2 at this exact second?
According to inside sources, Parsons is currently hunting for a screenwriting collaborator to help him shape the next script. His contract for future liminal-space nightmares officially resides with A24. Because we are in the ultra-early stages of development, there are currently no star attachments, no official greenlights, and zero plot details locked in. But given that the first film cost under $10 million to make, the executives are likely throwing money at him as we speak.
The film’s massive success is a victory lap for a village of powerhouse producers, including 21 Laps, Atomic Monster/Blumhouse, Odd Fellows, and co-financier Chernin Entertainment.
Hollywood Finally Cracks the Gen Z Code
For years, studio executives have been sweating through their suits trying to figure out how to lure the TikTok generation into theaters. It turns out the answer was staring them right in the face on YouTube.
Backrooms drew an audience that was a staggering 88% under 35. It is part of a massive, unstoppable box office trend driven by internet creators. It also has a new video game coming out, Escape the Backrooms.
Obsession: Directed by Curry Barker and co-produced by Atomic Monster/Blumhouse, this viral sensation just became Focus Features’ highest-grossing domestic movie ever this past weekend, pulling in $105.7 million.
Iron Lung: Markiplier’s highly anticipated submarine horror is available now on YouTube.
The Box Office Battle Ahead
Currently, Backrooms is keeping its foot on the gas, minting north of $6 million on a casual Monday alone.
Looking ahead to the upcoming weekend, the film is expected to hold strong with a standard 55% drop, aiming for a $36 million second frame. It will face some stiff competition from heavy-hitting newcomers, including Scary Movie 6.
Whether you find the endless maze of beige hallways terrifying or just highly nostalgic for a 1990s office building, one thing is certain: the Backrooms are here to stay, and A24 is laughing all the way to the bank.
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