Kane Parsons discusses ‘Backrooms’ success at Zurich Film Festival

At the Zurich Film Festival Summit, director Kane Parsons discussed the impact of his feature debut, ‘Backrooms’, which transitioned from a YouTube series to a $400 million grossing film for A24. Parsons noted that while the film is marketed as horror due to the path of least resistance, he does not view it as a traditional horror project and intends to maintain more creative control over future works to avoid such labels.

The success of Parsons and fellow YouTube-native director Curry Barker, known for ‘Obsession’, is being viewed by industry executives as a significant shift in the theatrical landscape, potentially drawing Gen Z audiences back to cinemas in a manner reminiscent of the 1970s.

During the panel, which included Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Mattel Studios President Robbie Brenner, and Sony Pictures Classics Co-President Michael Barker, industry leaders addressed the resurgence of the theatrical box office. Brenner also briefly commented on the possibility of a ‘Barbie’ sequel, noting that while there is interest, future developments remain to be seen.