Kane Parsons’ film Backrooms grosses US$10.4 million in previews and sets a record for A24

The anticipation surrounding “Backrooms”, the A24 production directed by Kane Parsons, culminated in a remarkable performance at the previews. The film, adapted from the digital phenomenon, surpassed projections and captured the public’s attention even before its official opening.

The film is now positioned as a milestone for the distributor. The revenue from initial screenings indicated a strong appeal to viewers, consolidating the growing influence of content originating on the internet in the cinematic scene.

Recorde box office and early performance

A24’s “Backrooms” recorded an impressive $10.4 million in its previews. The value was determined this Friday morning, after the screenings that began at 4pm the previous day. Esse amount represents a new record for distributor A24. Anteriormente, “Civil War”, released in 2024, held the biggest opening for the studio with $25.5 million.

The performance exceeded initial expectations that pointed to an opening of US$20 million, raising projections to more than US$60 million, and with some analysts suggesting up to US$80 million. Este results places “Backrooms” on a similar level to “Five Nights at Freddy’s”, another genre title that also came from a fan intellectual property, which obtained US$ 10.3 million in its previews. The success also surpassed the grossings of “Scream 7”, with US$7.8 million, and “John Wick: Chapter 4”, which totaled US$8.9 million, in addition to approaching “Eternals” with its US$9.5 million.

The digital origin of the “Backrooms” phenomenon

The “Backrooms” franchise had its genesis with Kane Parsons, known online as Kane Pixel. The initial concept emerged on 4chan and quickly became popular on Reddit, when Parsons was just 16 years old. Essa digital intellectual property has expanded to games on platforms such as Roblox and Minecraft.

Posteriormente, the idea was transformed into a YouTube series in the “found-footage” format, created using software such as Blender and Unreal Engine. The series has accumulated over 190 million views, solidifying the fan base that now drives its cinematic success. Hollywood’s transition from an internet meme to a feature film underscores the ability of digital narratives to resonate with mainstream audiences.

• Principais names in production:

* Diretor:Kane Parsons (also known as Kane Pixel)
* Produtoras:Atomic Monster, Blumhouse, 21 Laps, Odd Fellow, Chernin Entertainment
* Distribuídora:A24
* Co-funding:Chernin Entertainment in partnership with A24, with a budget of less than US$10 million

Elenco highlights and film production

The cast of “Backrooms” features recognized names from the film industry, which contributed to the project’s visibility. Oscar nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve star in the film. Mark Duplass is also part of the cast.

A controversy over Kane Parsons’s direction was refuted by Mark Duplass, who stated that Parsons had “100% control” over the project. The plot follows a therapist, played by Renate Reinsve, in search of her patient, Chiwetel Ejiofor, inside an apparently deserted furniture store, where a bizarre and alternative universe is revealed. With a budget of less than US$10 million, the film is already projected to break even financially by the end of its opening weekend. Atualmente, the film has an approval rating of 88% from critics and 74% from the audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Obsession” also stands out at the box office

In another successful front for YouTube creators in film, Curry Barker’s film “Obsession” continues to perform well at the box office. The production of Focus Features, in partnership with Blumhouse/Atomic Monster, surpassed “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” by Disney/Lucasfilm.

“Obsession” recorded $4.8 million at the box office on Thursday, compared to $3.4 million for “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” Barker’s film has already accumulated US$73.5 million, while Disney’s production has reached US$108.8 million. “Obsession” became the No. 1 film of the week at renowned theaters including the AMC Empire at Times Square and the Regal Union Square at Nova York.