‘Obsession’ Becomes Hollywood’s First Original Film of 2020s to Gross $500 Million Worldwide
Focus Features’ record-smashing horror hit “Obsession” has finished its run in U.S. theaters. But thanks to its continued success overseas, it has now crossed $500 million at the global box office, becoming the first original film of the 2020s to do so.
Curry Barker’s disturbing tale of a woman forced to become an obsessive, murderous girlfriend by a man’s selfish wish has passed the 2023 Pixar film “Elemental,” which grossed $494.6 million globally, to become the top grossing original film since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Obsession” also stands as the highest grossing festival acquisition of all time and the highest grossing film ever with a budget of less than $1 million.
Opening to a domestic launch of just $17.1 million, “Obsession” became a massive hit with critics and moviegoers alike thanks in good part to Inde Navarrette’s star-making lead performance. Defying 21st century box office norms, “Obsession” went on to have higher weekend totals than its opening for the next month, not dropping below $17 million until its sixth weekend in theaters as it grossed $263.4 million domestically.
Thanks to the film’s success, Barker is already at work on his next horror film, “Anything but Ghosts,” a film he will star in alongside co-writer Cooper Tomlinson. The duo will play a pair of fraudulent paranormal investigators who are in way over their heads when they are faced with actual ghosts. Bryce Dallas Howard, Aaron Paul and Violet McGraw also star in the upcoming movie, which like “Obsession” will be released by Focus Features.
Meanwhile, Navarrette and “Obsession” co-star Michael Johnston are locking down major blockbuster roles, as Navarrette will play “X-Men” heroine Rogue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe while Johnston is in talks to join Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in Universal’s upcoming revival of “The Mummy.”
500 million for a horror film?? that seems fake like they counted streaming or something. i swear every year they say it’s the first original anything.
Only 17.1 million opening but it didn’t drop below 17 until the 6th weekend?? sounds like marketing was crazy or people just kept rewatching because it was so “disturbing.” Also less than $1 million budget?? i don’t buy it.
Wait so the woman becomes an obsessive murderous girlfriend because of some selfish wish and that’s what made it gross 500 million?? sounds like an incel movie plot lmao. Maybe that’s why Elemental didn’t beat it?
I saw somewhere that it already hit 500 like months ago, so idk. But if it’s the highest grossing festival acquisition ever that’s wild, like people really went out and bought tickets for a tiny budget horror. Curry Barker’s new one with the ghosts too… “Anything but Ghosts” sounds like it’ll flop just because of the name, but who knows.