The First Clip From Curry Barker’s ‘Obsession’ Is Here and It’s Already One of 2026’s Most Unsettling Horror Previews

The wait is nearly over for one of the most buzzed-about horror films in recent memory. The first clip from ‘Obsession’, the supernatural thriller written, directed, and edited by rising filmmaker Curry Barker, has arrived online, offering audiences their earliest taste of what critics have been raving about since the film’s explosive festival debut.

‘Obsession’ follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a music store employee who purchases a mysterious antique toy called the “One Wish Willow” and uses it to wish for his childhood friend and co-worker Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette, to love him more than anyone else in the world. The wish is granted, but the results are far from romantic. Nikki’s affections quickly twist into something deeply disturbing, as she grows increasingly clingy, erratic, and obsessive, seeing and screaming at things no one else can perceive.

Barker has spoken openly about where the central idea came from, tracing it back to a specific episode of ‘The Simpsons’ in which Bart Simpson acquires a monkey paw and unleashes chaos, which pushed him to ask what a fully committed, terrifying version of that premise might look like in his own hands. The result is a film that has clearly resonated well beyond its festival circuit origins.

‘Obsession’ premiered in the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival before going on to sold-out screenings at Fantastic Fest and winning the Sitges People’s Choice Award, with Focus Features acquiring the film in a deal valued at over fifteen million dollars and Blumhouse subsequently boarding the project. The film currently holds a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is scheduled to hit US theaters on May 15, 2026.

Writing for IndieWire, critic Christian Zilko awarded the film a B+ and described it as proof that the so-called Cregger-ification of modern horror is in full effect, drawing direct comparisons to ‘Barbarian’ for its blend of sadistic violence, darkly comic needle drops, and social commentary mined from deeply uncomfortable human behavior. Much of the critical praise has landed squarely on Navarrette’s performance, with many reviewers calling it a career-making turn.

Barker rose to prominence through the viral success of his micro-budget found footage horror ‘Milk and Serial’, which he made for just eight hundred dollars and posted freely to YouTube, eventually amassing over two million views and landing him a representation deal with United Talent Agency. ‘Obsession’ represents a considerable leap forward in scale, though Barker’s singular vision remains unmistakably intact throughout.

Speaking to Variety ahead of the TIFF premiere, Barker reflected on how working with a larger crew changed his process, saying the experience taught him how to collaborate and that when his passion was communicated clearly to the people around him, they gave it back and the result became a powerhouse of shared commitment. Barker has already moved on to his next project, ‘Anything But Ghosts’, which he will direct and co-star in alongside Cooper Tomlinson, produced through Blumhouse and Spooky Pictures.

With its theatrical release less than two weeks away, the arrival of this first clip from ‘Obsession’ is precisely the kind of well-timed teaser that reminds audiences why this film has been a constant presence in horror conversations since the fall festival season. All signs point to Barker delivering the genre’s next genuine standout.