Overview
- Obsession, starring Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, opened in U.S. theaters Friday, May 15, drawing strong notices for Navarrette’s intense turn.
- The horror tale updates a classic Monkey’s Paw setup as a novelty “One Wish Willow” makes a crush obsessively attached, framing a story about entitlement and consent.
- Reviews praise Barker’s craft and also question the film’s use of graphic violence, which was trimmed to secure an R rating rather than an NC-17.
- Focus Features acquired the film for about $14 million after its TIFF Midnight Madness buzz, positioning Barker for a rapid career jump.
- Barker, a YouTuber-turned-filmmaker, already wrapped a Blumhouse feature titled Anything But Ghosts and is set to rework The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for A24, while India gets Obsession on May 29 via Universal Pictures India and Warner Bros. Discovery.