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Backrooms Breaks $100 Million as 20-Year-Old Kane Parsons Delivers A24’s Biggest Debut

Early sequel talks at A24 reflect how a built-in YouTube audience plus youth-skewing turnout are reshaping studio interest in internet-born directors

Overview

  • Backrooms, which premiered May 29, opened to roughly $81.4 million in North America and has passed $100 million worldwide, marking the largest debut in A24’s history.
  • The feature was directed by 20-year-old YouTuber Kane Parsons, who adapted his viral creepypasta-inspired series and became the youngest director to open at number one.
  • The film’s low-budget production—reported near $10 million—and its VHS-style, liminal aesthetic helped convert an existing online fanbase into strong theatrical turnout, especially among viewers 25 and younger.
  • A24 and Parsons are reported to be in very early development discussions for a sequel, though no formal green light or casting decisions have been announced.
  • Critics generally praise the movie’s atmosphere and visuals while questioning whether the original short-form concept sustains a conventional feature-length narrative, a split that highlights the risks of translating viral work to studio films.