Young people flocked in droves to cinemas across the country this weekend. It wasn’t because the big-budget “Star Wars” movie, “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” fell sharply in its second weekend, but because a small-budget horror film from a 20-year-old first-time director took off online.
‘Back Rooms’ breaks box office records
Backrooms, which A24 released in 3,442 locations in the U.S. and Canada, grossed an impressive $81.5 million in its first three days in theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. That’s just a few hundred thousand dollars more than “The Mandalorian and Grogu” earned in its first three days of release last weekend; “Backrooms,” directed and co-written by YouTube creator Ken Parsons, cost just $10 million to produce.
About “back rooms”
Directed by 20-year-old Ken Parsons, who created the web series “Backrooms” as a teenager, the film’s huge opening weekend is the biggest ever for an original horror film and more than double A24’s previous best domestic opening, according to Variety. Parsons also became the youngest director ever to reach number one with a feature film, the entertainment magazine said.The film stars Academy Award nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Rensef, and follows the story of a furniture store owner (Ejiofor) who discovers a mysterious complex and maze beneath his store.
When the man disappears, his therapist (Reinsve) steps into the liminal space to try to find him.The online series, which began in 2022, has become part of a phenomenon known as “creepypasta” — a short horror story that has been republished and edited across the web, to which other users have added details such as monsters and undiscovered dimensions.
“Obsession” grosses $150 million
The huge success of “Backrooms” hasn’t affected “Obsession,” which is also the directorial debut of YouTuber Cary Parker, who is only 26 years old.
After three weekends, “Obsession,” which cost less than $1 million to produce, has still not dropped its opening weekend earnings. This weekend, it was up 10% with another $26.4 million taking second place.Exhibitor Relations reported that the World Expo was estimated at approximately US$150 million on a budget of less than US$1 million.Indie Navarette won particular acclaim for her role as a young woman who becomes dangerously infatuated with a man, played by Michael Johnston, after he makes a magical wish for her affection.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” takes third place
“Star Wars”, directed by veteran director Walt Disney Studios, came in third place with a total of $25 million. Disney’s latest film, “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” in the blockbuster sci-fi series, fell nearly 70 percent in its second weekend in theaters.The film is a leap to the big screen for the hit streaming series, and the first Star Wars film to be released in theaters since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.Meanwhile, the film is down 69% since its opening last weekend. The film has now grossed US$246.6 million worldwide.
A big year for YouTube filmmakers
YouTube may not be the death of movie theaters after all. If this weekend is any indication, it could be the industry’s new great hope.This is the weekend where theaters also hosted the debuts of “The Breadwinner,” a family comedy starring cult comedian Nate Bargatze, and “Pressure,” a powerful World War II drama about the tension 72 hours before D-Day with Oscar winner Brendan Fraser.
But it was the 20 YouTubers who attracted the largest audiences. Both “Backrooms” and “Obsession” were produced by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster.The weekend was amazing and a validation of their business, which has from the beginning championed original horror films that appeal to younger audiences, and has grossed more than $10 billion at the box office to date,” said Abhijay Prakash, President, Blumhouse-Atomic Monster.He noted that they were keen to research up and coming talent on YouTube, and knowing how Hollywood works, this weekend will likely inspire a wave of imitators. But beyond that, he’s encouraged by the fact that young creators who have already achieved massive success online still appreciate the cultural currency of theatrical films.“It’s a great sign of how important it is to us,” Prakash said. “With some distance, maybe we’ll look at this as a real turning point.”
“Michael” exceeds $800 million
“Michael” finished in fourth place with $11.7 million in its sixth weekend – with the musical biopic having grossed $339.9 million domestically so far. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring the nephew of the late pop star Jafar Jackson, has so far grossed $340 million at the domestic box office and more than $845 million worldwide, according to Exhibitor Affairs.Fifth place went to the comedy film “The Breadwinner” from Sony, which grossed $7.5 million in its first weekend.
Comedian Nate Bergatz — one of America’s highest-grossing comedians with a solid body of work focused on family life — stars in the film as a father who must take care of the children while his wife is away at work.
Top 10 films at the domestic box office
With final domestic numbers released Monday, this list takes into account estimated Friday-Sunday ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:1. “Back Rooms,” $81.5 million2- “Obsession,” $26.4 million.3. “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” $25 million.4. “Michael” $11.7 million.5. “The Breadwinner” $7.5 million.6. “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” $5.9 million.7- “Pressure” movie, $5.8 million.8. “Sheep Detectives,” $4.6 million.9- “The Passenger” movie, $2.6 million.10. “Mortal Kombat 2,” $2 million.
