YouTube Horror Movies Take the Box Office by Storm

Indie horror films directed by YouTubers Kane Parsons and Curry Barker are breaking records at the box office, leaving experts stunned.

The first weekend of May 2026 has seen a massive surge in box office earnings, with two indie horror films, 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession,' directed by YouTubers Kane Parsons and Curry Barker, respectively, taking the top two spots. According to reports, 'Backrooms' made $38 million on Friday and is expected to bring in a total of $80 million to $90 million at the domestic box office over the weekend alone. This is A24's biggest opening by far, surpassing its previous record held by 'Civil War,' which made $25.7 million in its first weekend of release.

'Obsession,' on the other hand, has made a more modest $8 million on Friday but is expected to bring in an estimated $28.5 million over the weekend. What's more impressive is that the film has already made more money in its second weekend than its first, and its third weekend is set to grow by another 19 percent. This is a remarkable achievement, considering that most wide-release films typically fall between 50 to 70 percent in their second weekend.

The success of these films follows the surprise success of 'Iron Lung,' a video game adaptation released earlier this year, directed by Markiplier. In a New York Times article about the recent 'YouTube-to-filmmaker boomlet,' Rutgers Cinema general manager Mark DelVecchio noted that 'lots of YouTubers have tried to make the leap to mainstream movies and come up short.' However, DelVecchio believes that what sets Parsons, Barker, and Fischbach apart is their 'longevity,' having developed a loyal audience over time.

When asked about the success of these films, DelVecchio added, 'At this point, some of them have been making videos for a very long time, and that's how you develop a loyal audience that will follow you.' This is evident in the case of 'Backrooms,' which has been a massive hit among fans of horror movies.

While I haven't seen 'Backrooms' yet, I have seen 'Obsession,' and I can confirm that it absolutely does not disappoint. In fact, I watched most of the second half with my fingers over my eyes and may even have screamed a few times.

The success of these films is a testament to the power of YouTube creators and their ability to connect with audiences. As the world of entertainment continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these creators continue to shape the industry.