Curry Barker's 'Obsession' Becomes Highest‑Grossing Horror of 2026

YouTuber‑turned‑filmmaker Curry Barker’s low‑budget horror debut, Obsession, has surged to become the top‑grossing horror film of 2026. Shot in 20 days for about $750,000, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September 2025 and sparked a bidding war, with Focus Features securing domestic rights for a reported $14 million and Universal Pictures International handling overseas distribution.

Critical response has been strong, with a 96 % certified‑fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 95 % audience score. The movie entered the IMDb Top 250 at #248, based on over 82,000 votes. Box‑office performance has been unprecedented for a horror title: after a $22.4 million opening weekend it grew 30 % in its second weekend, reached $26.4 million in the third, and has now amassed roughly $234.5 million worldwide, making it the highest‑grossing horror film of the year and placing it among the top ten earners of 2026.

The story follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a shy music‑store clerk who purchases a magical “One Wish Willow” to make his coworker Nikki (Inde Navarrette) fall in love with him, only to unleash a terrifying, controlling obsession. The film’s blend of horror and black humor has drawn praise from critics and even Spielberg, who called it “fantastic”. Barker is now tapped to direct the next Texas Chainsaw Massacre installment and has a Blumhouse follow‑up, Anything But Ghosts, in post‑production.