Updated
Updated · Jordan Ruimy · Jun 15
Focus Mounts Oscar Push for $300 Million Horror Hit 'Obsession'
Updated
Updated · Jordan Ruimy · Jun 15

Focus Mounts Oscar Push for $300 Million Horror Hit 'Obsession'

3 articles · Updated · Jordan Ruimy · Jun 15

Summary

  • Focus has told Curry Barker it will campaign aggressively for “Obsession” at the Oscars, turning a breakout horror film into an awards-season contender.
  • The push follows an extraordinary box-office run: the film, made for under $750,000, is set to cross $300 million worldwide this week after strong word of mouth.
  • Its most plausible path is seen in Original Screenplay, acting for Indy Navarrette, editing and sound, with a Best Picture nomination viewed as a long-shot but meaningful goal.
  • Horror has historically struggled with the Academy, though films such as “Get Out” and “The Silence of the Lambs” show the barrier can break when a genre title becomes a cultural event.
  • The campaign also caps a rapid rise for Barker, who already has a completed follow-up film, an A24 “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” reboot and an outline for “Obsession 2.”

Insights

Is a $750k horror film's Oscar campaign a sign of a new Hollywood, or just a clever marketing ploy?
A YouTuber is rebooting 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre.' Can his viral formula translate to a legendary horror franchise?
Why is a horror film about toxic obsession becoming Gen Z's defining 'Fatal Attraction' for this generation?