Updated
Updated · psnews.com.au · Jun 14
Backrooms Tops U.S. Box Office With $117 Million Debut on $10 Million Budget
Updated
Updated · psnews.com.au · Jun 14

Backrooms Tops U.S. Box Office With $117 Million Debut on $10 Million Budget

3 articles · Updated · psnews.com.au · Jun 14

Summary

  • $117 million in first-weekend global sales put A24 horror film Backrooms atop the U.S. domestic box office, giving director Kane Parsons the record as the youngest filmmaker to achieve that feat.
  • A $10 million budget magnified the breakout, with the film drawing on Parsons' viral YouTube expansion of the Backrooms internet mythos, which has generated more than 330 million views.
  • Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as a struggling furniture-store owner pulled into an endless office-like space, while Renate Reinsve plays his therapist in what the review describes as the film's strongest dramatic thread.
  • The review says the movie lands better for viewers already familiar with the online lore, arguing its sparse explanations, slow payoff and PG-13-style restraint could limit broader audience enthusiasm despite the strong opening.

Insights

A YouTuber's hit film divided audiences. Is this the new blueprint for a successful blockbuster?
Was the film's confusing plot a creative flaw or a brilliant strategy to reward its internet fanbase?