YouTube creators drive new wave of Hollywood filmmaking

A cohort of young filmmakers who began on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram are now securing major Hollywood deals. Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co‑chair Mike De Luca said the creators “have had a billion test screenings” before a film reaches theaters.

Examples include Kane Parsons, known as “Kane Pixels,” whose A24 horror "Backrooms" earned $250 million worldwide and is slated for a sequel; Curry Barker, whose low‑budget horror "Obsession" was bought by Focus Features for $15 million and is expected to surpass $300 million in ticket sales; and Markiplier (Mark Fischbach), whose self‑distributed sci‑fi horror "Iron Lung" made over $50 million on a sub‑$5 million budget. Other creators such as Jordan Firstman ("Club Kid" sold to A24 for $17 million), Dylan Clark ("Portrait of God" with Jordan Peele and Sam Raimi producing) and Sam Evenson (Neon's adaptation of his viral short "Mora") are also moving into feature‑film production.