Backrooms $81.5 – “Backrooms,” a buzzy horror adaptation of a web series built from an internet comment, opened to an estimated $81.5 million domestically in its first three days—an A24 record and a near match to the latest “Star Wars” hit. The surprise has industry watchers re
For three days. the theaters that usually hold the biggest franchises at the top couldn’t ignore what was happening with “Backrooms.” The new horror movie—built on an internet meme and guided by a 20-year-old YouTuber—pulled in an estimated $81.5 million at the domestic box office. according to estimates released by Comscore on Sunday. May 31.
That opening wasn’t just strong. It was the sort of number that resets expectations, putting “Backrooms” in the same conversation as the holiday-weekend run of the latest “Star Wars” movie, “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” The Star Wars title took in $81.7 million in its first three days.
The weekend also rewrote A24’s own history. “Backrooms” posted easily the biggest opening weekend in the history of A24. The previous record had been held by “Civil War,” which started with $25.5 million in 2024.
“Backrooms” stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. and it is adapted from a web series developed by its director. Kane Parsons. Parsons—A24’s youngest director ever—directed the film as a 20-year-old YouTuber. His web series. about characters exploring a creepy alternate dimension made up of an endless series of sparse rooms. was created largely on his laptop while he was still in high school.
The origin is even stranger than the story. Parsons’ web series was inspired by an anonymous internet comment that turned the idea of the Backrooms into a meme, and the movie now turns that same cultural artifact into a mainstream theatrical event.
It’s not the only sign that horror is turning into a proving ground for new voices. “Obsession” is also pulling strong word-of-mouth. delivering a rare pattern: it grossed more in subsequent weekends than it did in its debut. The movie. about a young man whose wish for his crush to love him goes wrong. collected $17 million in its first weekend. In its third weekend, it took in $26.4 million, per Comscore.
That lift pushed “Obsession” into the No. 2 position this weekend, after “Backrooms.” “Obsession,” like “Backrooms,” was helmed by a YouTuber—26-year-old Curry Barker.
Coming in at No. 3 was “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first new “Star Wars” movie since 2019. The film was widely expected to remain No. 1 at the box office, but it fell sharply to gross $25 million in its second weekend. For a franchise trying to regain its footing in movie theaters after a long absence. that drop looks like a warning sign rather than a routine stumble.
The numbers also force a tougher question for studios and investors: if “Backrooms” can turn a meme-like concept into an $81.5 million domestic opener—and if “Obsession” can build momentum after a smaller start—then established franchises may not be the automatic box-office bets they once were. at least for now.
Horror audiences, at least in the early returns, seem to be hunting for something new. With young directors like Parsons and Barker getting traction on big screens, the industry is watching how quickly the demand for fresher ideas can move from online buzz to weekend ticket sales.
For “Backrooms. ” the timing is part of what makes the shock feel real: an A24 record opening. a domestic total that nearly matches “The Mandalorian and Grogu” across the same first-three-day window. and a franchise drop in its wake. Whether that signals a lasting shift—or just a standout moment—will be the next test for movie theaters trying to predict what comes next.
Backrooms box office Chiwetel Ejiofor Renate Reinsve A24 record opening weekend Kane Parsons Curry Barker Obsession movie The Mandalorian and Grogu Star Wars box office Comscore estimates