A24 has officially found its biggest box office hit yet with Backrooms (2026). The horror film, directed by 20-year-old filmmaker Kane Parsons, has broken the studio’s opening weekend record in a huge way and is expected to earn around $85 million to $90 million during its first weekend in theaters.
The film made an impressive $38 million on its opening day alone, including earnings from Thursday night previews. That single-day performance was enough to push the movie past A24’s previous opening weekend record before the weekend had even ended. The earlier record belonged to Civil War, which opened with $25.5 million in 2024. According to industry estimates, Backrooms is set to earn more than three times that amount.
The success is even more surprising because Backrooms was made on a relatively small budget. Reports estimate that the movie cost around $10 million to produce. Because of that, the film is already being seen as a major financial success for A24.
The movie is based on the viral internet horror phenomenon known as “The Backrooms.” The idea first gained attention online through creepy images of endless yellow hallways and empty rooms. Parsons later turned the concept into a popular YouTube series that attracted millions of viewers and eventually caught the attention of major studios.
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Produced by well-known names including James Wan and Shawn Levy, the film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. The story follows a furniture store owner who enters a strange and endless dimension hidden beneath his shop.
The film has also continued a growing trend of YouTube creators finding success in mainstream cinema. Parsons first became known online through his Backrooms videos and is now responsible for one of the biggest openings ever for an independent studio release. The movie’s strong reviews, growing fan interest, and massive opening weekend have turned it into a landmark moment for both A24 and internet-born horror storytelling.
In our review of Backrooms, Liam described the film as an ambitious and visually striking horror experience that successfully brings the internet phenomenon to the big screen. The review praised director Kane Parsons for creating an unsettling atmosphere filled with eerie spaces, disturbing imagery, and impressive production design. It also highlighted the film’s strong visual storytelling and the sense of dread that runs throughout the movie.
At the same time, the review noted that Backrooms is not without flaws. According to Gaughan, the film spends too much time expanding and explaining the mythology behind the mysterious world, which takes away some of the fear and intrigue that made the original concept so effective. The review also felt that several characters lacked depth despite solid performances from the cast.
