Backrooms horror film sets box office record and fuels cultural buzz

The 2026 horror film *Backrooms*, directed by 20‑year‑old YouTube creator Kane Parsons (known online as Kane Pixels), has become a breakout success for A24. The movie opened with $81.4 million in the U.S. and $118 million worldwide, later reaching $272.7 million globally – A24’s highest‑grossing release to date. It has already surpassed Jordan Peele’s *Us* to claim the 11th spot on the all‑time domestic horror list, with a cumulative domestic total of $175.2 million.

The film’s origins lie in a YouTube series launched in 2022 that amassed over 200 million views, illustrating how internet‑born mythologies can translate into mainstream cinema. Analysts note that the “deep mythology of the Backrooms universe” generated demand comparable to major franchise releases, and the $10 million production budget has been returned more than 16‑fold through U.S. ticket sales alone. A sequel and a potential television expansion are already in early development.

Beyond the numbers, the phenomenon has sparked broader cultural discussion. German commentary describes the Backrooms as “a physical manifestation of the collective consciousness,” while French media explain the film as a translation of a creepypasta‑style urban legend into a blockbuster, highlighting a shift in how Hollywood sources fresh ideas from online communities.