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Viral Horror ‘Obsession’ Briefly Tops U.S. Box Office

Strong word‑of‑mouth and a low production cost have driven unusual weekday gains that propelled the film to the top of daily domestic charts.

Overview

  • Box Office Mojo data reported by trade sites show Obsession displaced Lionsgate’s Michael for a short time in the domestic daily rankings after strong weekday receipts.
  • Public tallies place the film’s cumulative returns in the low‑to‑mid tens of millions domestically with international receipts lifting its worldwide gross into the low $30‑million range, though exact totals differ across reports.
  • Estimates of the film’s production cost vary between about $750,000 and $1 million, and Forbes has reported that, if the lower figure is accurate, Obsession would be the least‑expensive movie to top the box office in 17 years.
  • Industry coverage credits an unorthodox marketing push and festival buzz — including replica props, in‑character stunts and seeded social threads — plus repeat viewings and strong audience scores for the film’s momentum.
  • Analysts say the film’s longer‑term profitability will hinge on holdovers against major new releases and deals for premium video‑on‑demand or streaming, which will determine its downstream revenue.