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Micro‑Budget Horror Obsession Crosses $100M as India Cuts 38 Seconds and Home‑Video Plans Pause

The film’s rare second‑weekend box‑office surge has put streaming timing under review and intensified debate over age enforcement and censorship in India.

Overview

  • Obsession, written and directed by Curry Barker and starring Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, has become a global breakout, surpassing $100 million at the box office after a strong U.S. launch in mid‑May and rapid international rollouts.
  • The film’s Memorial Day second‑weekend increase was unusually large for wide‑release horror and helped make Obsession Focus Features’ top North American grosser to date.
  • Universal Pictures India released the film on May 29 with an adult (A) certificate but the Central Board of Film Certification ordered 38 seconds removed from prints — 24 seconds for extreme violence and 14 seconds for graphic sexual content.
  • Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta and other reports said many apparently underage viewers attended Indian screenings, prompting public concern about enforcement of the A rating.
  • An early June streaming date widely reported as June 2 is now uncertain, with Blumhouse chief Jason Blum saying theatrical run and the digital debut are under active discussion as studios weigh extending the window to protect momentum.