A24's Backrooms Eyes $40 Million Opening, Threatening to Double Studio's $25.5 Million Debut Record
Updated
Updated · Variety · May 27
A24's Backrooms Eyes $40 Million Opening, Threatening to Double Studio's $25.5 Million Debut Record
4 articles · Updated · Variety · May 27
$40 million to $50 million is the opening-weekend range now projected for “Backrooms,” putting A24 on track to smash its previous best debut of $25.5 million set by “Civil War.”
3,400 North American theaters and a rare wide launch for A24 are driving the forecast, with the Kane Parsons horror film carrying a production budget of about $10 million.
Parsons, 20, joins a fast-rising YouTuber-to-horror pipeline after “Obsession” reached $62 million domestically in two weekends and Markiplier’s “Iron Lung” grossed $50 million on a $3 million budget.
The strong start would also reshape the weekend chart, with Sony’s “The Breadwinner” targeting $8 million and Focus’ “Pressure” $6 million, while Disney’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” aims for about $40 million in weekend two.
With A24's record debut, is the future of cinema low-budget horror over big-budget franchise spinoffs?
Can viral internet horror like 'Backrooms' maintain its unique dread when adapted for a mainstream Hollywood audience?
As YouTubers create box office gold, is the internet officially replacing film school for Hollywood's next directors?