After Obsession, Backrooms becomes 2026's biggest horror box office debut
A24's horror film Backrooms opened to $81.5 million in North America and $118 million worldwide in its first weekend. The debut set a new domestic opening record for the studio and put the film on course for more box office milestones.
After the success of horror thriller Obsession, another genre film is making waves in theatres across North America. Backrooms, a horror film based on the viral YouTube series created by filmmaker Kane Parsons when he was 16, has turned into Hollywood’s latest box-office success. The A24’s horror film opened to $81.5 million in North America, setting the biggest domestic debut in the studio’s history.
In its first weekend, the Kane Parsons-directed film also became A24’s second-highest-grossing title domestically, moving past Everything Everywhere All at Once and beating the opening figures of Civil War and Marty Supreme.
Backrooms breaks box office records
The film also crossed the $100 million mark worldwide in its opening weekend. It collected $36.5 million from 50 international markets, taking its global total to $118 million. Made on a reported budget of $10 million, Backrooms has already grossed around 11 times its cost.Backrooms breaks box office records
According to the reported figures, Backrooms surpassed the opening collections of Civil War, which debuted with $25.5 million and Marty Supreme, which opened to $28.5 million, to set a new opening weekend record for A24. Its $81.5 million three-day domestic start, also came close to the $81.7 million opening of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, leaving it just short of becoming 2026’s third-biggest domestic debut. According to reports, the film is also expected to become A24’s top-grossing film domestically.
In its opening weekend, the film registered several other box office milestones. It posted the second-biggest post-Covid debut for an R-rated horror film and the third-biggest post-Covid debut for a horror film overall. It also became the fifth-biggest domestic opening weekend of all time for a horror film and the fourth-biggest domestic debut of 2026, ahead of Project Hail Mary, which opened to $80.5 million.
About Backrooms
Backrooms is adapted from Parsons’ viral YouTube series of the same name, which he launched as a teenager on his Kane Pixels channel. The found footage-style series follows fictional researchers exploring mysterious liminal spaces. The feature film, which released on May 29, opened in 3,442 theatres across North America.
The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Avan Jogia and Lukita Maxwell. Parsons co-wrote the screenplay with Will Soodik, while James Wan, Shawn Levy and Osgood Perkins served as producers. Chernin Entertainment co-produced and co-financed the film.
Backrooms is scheduled to release in India on June 12.
With $81.5 million from North America, $36.5 million from overseas markets and $118 million worldwide, Backrooms has delivered a record opening for A24 and crossed a major global milestone in its first weekend.
After the success of horror thriller Obsession, another genre film is making waves in theatres across North America. Backrooms, a horror film based on the viral YouTube series created by filmmaker Kane Parsons when he was 16, has turned into Hollywood’s latest box-office success. The A24’s horror film opened to $81.5 million in North America, setting the biggest domestic debut in the studio’s history.
In its first weekend, the Kane Parsons-directed film also became A24’s second-highest-grossing title domestically, moving past Everything Everywhere All at Once and beating the opening figures of Civil War and Marty Supreme.
Backrooms breaks box office records
The film also crossed the $100 million mark worldwide in its opening weekend. It collected $36.5 million from 50 international markets, taking its global total to $118 million. Made on a reported budget of $10 million, Backrooms has already grossed around 11 times its cost.Backrooms breaks box office records
According to the reported figures, Backrooms surpassed the opening collections of Civil War, which debuted with $25.5 million and Marty Supreme, which opened to $28.5 million, to set a new opening weekend record for A24. Its $81.5 million three-day domestic start, also came close to the $81.7 million opening of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, leaving it just short of becoming 2026’s third-biggest domestic debut. According to reports, the film is also expected to become A24’s top-grossing film domestically.
In its opening weekend, the film registered several other box office milestones. It posted the second-biggest post-Covid debut for an R-rated horror film and the third-biggest post-Covid debut for a horror film overall. It also became the fifth-biggest domestic opening weekend of all time for a horror film and the fourth-biggest domestic debut of 2026, ahead of Project Hail Mary, which opened to $80.5 million.
About Backrooms
Backrooms is adapted from Parsons’ viral YouTube series of the same name, which he launched as a teenager on his Kane Pixels channel. The found footage-style series follows fictional researchers exploring mysterious liminal spaces. The feature film, which released on May 29, opened in 3,442 theatres across North America.
The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Avan Jogia and Lukita Maxwell. Parsons co-wrote the screenplay with Will Soodik, while James Wan, Shawn Levy and Osgood Perkins served as producers. Chernin Entertainment co-produced and co-financed the film.
Backrooms is scheduled to release in India on June 12.
With $81.5 million from North America, $36.5 million from overseas markets and $118 million worldwide, Backrooms has delivered a record opening for A24 and crossed a major global milestone in its first weekend.
