Hollywood Seeks Next YouTube Horror Hit
Originally published Jun 1, 2026
By Chris Lee · Vulture — Movies
AI-generated summary based on Vulture — Movies · Aggregated by Filmarian · Human-reviewed and approved on Jun 1, 2026
Key points
- Backrooms, directed by 20-year-old YouTube creator Kane Parsons, earned $81.4 million in its opening weekend.
- Obsession, directed by 26-year-old YouTube creator Curry Barker, has grossed over $100 million despite a low budget.
- Both films have attracted a majority audience under 25, a demographic that is typically hard to reach in theaters.
- The success of these films has led Hollywood to seek out YouTube creators for potential box-office hits.
- The box-office performance of these films defies traditional horror movie trends and expectations.
Two low-budget horror films, 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession,' directed by YouTube creators, have dominated the box office, reshaping Hollywood's approach to young audiences. 'Backrooms,' directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, earned $81.4 million in its opening weekend, becoming A24's most successful domestic debut. Meanwhile, 'Obsession,' directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker, has grossed over $100 million despite a production budget of just $750,000 to $1 million. Both films have drawn large audiences under 25, a demographic that is typically difficult to attract to theaters. The success of these films has sparked a new trend in Hollywood, where studios are increasingly seeking out YouTube creators to produce content that resonates with younger viewers.
Read the original story: Vulture — Movies