Fresh off a phenomenal $118 mln opening weekend, A24’s viral horror sensation Backrooms is officially laying the groundwork for a follow-up. Kane Parsons, the visionary creator and face of the franchise, has been remarkably candid during his recent press tour about his cinematic aspirations.
Acknowledging that he has taken the property to its absolute limits on YouTube, he is now eager to transform the eerie digital lore into a full-scale feature anthology.
Early stages of development
Despite the overwhelming financial triumph of the first film, the next instalment is still in its infancy. Industry sources report that Parsons is currently searching for a screenwriting partner to help craft the sequel.
While his contract for future Backrooms projects remains safely housed at A24, the highly anticipated project currently lacks any attached stars or an official studio green light due to its preliminary development status.
Hollywood cracks the Gen Z code
Constructed on a modest budget of under $10 mln, the success of Backrooms is a testament to its powerful production alliance featuring 21 Laps, Atomic Monster/Blumhouse, Odd Fellows and co-financier Chernin Entertainment.
Crucially, the movie represents a major turning point for the film industry as digital creators successfully migrate to traditional cinemas. Hollywood has finally tapped into the elusive Gen Z demographic, evidenced by the fact that 88% of the Backrooms opening weekend audience was under the age of 35.
This youth-driven cinematic wave is further bolstered by other massive creator-led projects. Curry Barker’s thriller Obsession, co-produced by Atomic Monster-Blumhouse, recently shattered records to become Focus Features’ highest-grossing domestic release of all time with $105.7 mln.
Alongside Markiplier’s highly anticipated Iron Lung and the upcoming release of The Amazing Digital Circus which is tracking for an opening above $13 mln, YouTube stars are proving their undeniable box office viability.
Second weekend projections
The momentum shows no signs of stopping as Backrooms reportedly pulled in over $6 mln on Monday alone. Financial analysts predict the horror hit will experience a standard 55% drop heading into its second weekend.
This retention rate translates to a highly lucrative $36 mln second frame. It will achieve this despite facing fierce competition from a pair of major theatrical newcomers, specifically Paramount’s comedy reboot Scary Movie tracking for up to $45 mln and Amazon MGM Studios’ fantasy epic Masters of the Universe which is aiming for a debut of around $35 mln.
