Horror Films ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ Shatter Box‑Office Records

Low‑budget horror titles are dominating the 2025 box office. A24’s *Backrooms* opened with a worldwide total of $118 million, $81 million of which came from the domestic market, making it the studio’s biggest opening and giving director Kane Parsons, aged 20, the record as the youngest filmmaker with a #1 U.S. release. Focus Features’ *Obsession*, produced for under $1 million, has earned more than $166 million globally and is on pace for the biggest fourth‑weekend haul ever for a horror film. Both movies have sustained weekly ticket‑sale growth, a rarity in modern cinema, and have drawn strong critical praise. Director Steven Spielberg publicly complimented the two films, noting their impressive returns despite modest budgets. Their success highlights a resurgence of horror‑genre profitability and suggests strong audience appetite for low‑cost, high‑impact productions.