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Backrooms Breaks A24 Opening Record

Strong box-office returns and Parsons’s profile have led to early sequel development but A24 has not formally greenlit a follow-up.

Overview

  • The film, which opened May 29, earned roughly $81 million in its first U.S. weekend and about $117.9 million worldwide, marking the largest opening in A24 history.
  • Kane Parsons, 20, who adapted his viral YouTube series for the screen, is being noted as the youngest director to debut at No. 1 at the box office.
  • Critics largely praised the movie’s visuals and atmosphere while saying the original backrooms concept struggles to sustain a fully developed feature story and deeper character work.
  • Will Soodik is reported to have written the final screenplay while Roberto Patino moved from writer to executive producer, and a high-profile producing team including James Wan and Shawn Levy remains attached.
  • Parsons’s web-origin story and the film’s surprise commercial success have intensified industry interest in turning short-form viral horror into theatrical franchises and series.