‘Backrooms’ Could Threaten A24’s All-Time Opening Weekend Record With Stunning $20M Debut Projection
When a horror film built on internet mythology starts generating the kind of tracking numbers that make studio veterans take notice, something genuinely unusual is happening. The A24 adaptation of ‘Backrooms’ has been generating steady online buzz since its trailer dropped, but the conversation has shifted dramatically now that early box office projections have arrived and they are pointing toward a debut that very few people in Hollywood would have predicted for a movie like this.
The ‘Backrooms’ concept has a fascinating origin story that makes its theatrical journey feel almost poetic. The IP first emerged from a 4chan thread before spreading to Reddit and fan wikis, then truly took on a life of its own when Kane Parsons, then just 16 years old, transformed the creepypasta lore into a cinematic found-footage YouTube series using Blender and Unreal Engine. That content accumulated an extraordinary 190 million views, turning a teenager from the internet into one of the most quietly influential horror storytellers of the decade. A24 came calling, and Parsons became the youngest director in the studio’s history to helm a feature film.
According to a fresh report from Deadline, ‘Backrooms’ is projecting a domestic opening in the range of $20 million when it opens in theaters during the post-Memorial Day corridor of May 29 to 31. That figure is particularly striking given that the film was produced for under $10 million, financed by Chernin Entertainment, and is opening without any PLF or IMAX screens. Doubling the production budget in a single weekend, before international receipts even enter the picture, is the kind of result that transforms a mid-budget genre film into a genuine Hollywood talking point.
A24’s all-time domestic opening weekend record currently belongs to ‘Civil War’, which debuted to $25.7 million in April 2024, a figure that shattered the studio’s previous record held by Ari Aster’s ‘Hereditary’. Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Marty Supreme’ then claimed the number two spot with a $17.4 million three-day opening during the Christmas corridor. A $20 million debut for ‘Backrooms’ would slot comfortably between those two films and rank as one of the most impressive openings in A24 history, all without a blockbuster budget or a globally recognized franchise star at the top of the billing.
The comparison that keeps circulating among box office analysts is ‘Iron Lung’, the sci-fi horror film from YouTuber Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach that earned $51 million on a $3 million production budget earlier this year, proving that internet-native horror audiences will show up in force when the right creator brings their world to the big screen. The official ‘Backrooms’ trailer released at the end of March has already surpassed 27 million views on YouTube and was still ranking on the platform’s top trending chart for movies at the time of writing.
Early predictions from Kalshi are placing the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score at an estimated 84, which would earn it a Certified Fresh designation, and reactions from test screenings in mid-March were described as very positive, with viewers praising the performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve as well as the film’s commitment to atmosphere over jump scares. Director Parsons also reportedly constructed 30,000 square feet of practical Backrooms set during the shoot in Vancouver, with crew members reportedly getting genuinely lost inside the maze during production.
The film carries a distinct “by us, for us” energy that has fueled some of the most profitable horror releases in recent years, and with A24’s marketing muscle behind it, that cult foundation could translate into something much larger. Whether ‘Backrooms’ ends up challenging ‘Civil War’s record or simply delivers a strong and profitable summer debut, the numbers are pointing toward a genuine cultural moment.
Do you think ‘Backrooms’ has what it takes to become A24’s biggest horror opening of all time, or will the Civil War record hold on for another year?
