Overview
- Obsession, which crossed the $500 million mark on Sunday, became the first original theatrical film released in the 2020s to reach that milestone.
- By the end of its U.S. theatrical run on Aug. 14 the film had earned $263.4 million domestically and roughly $238.1–238.2 million overseas, bringing the worldwide total to about $501.5–501.66 million.
- Made for about $750,000 and bought on the festival circuit by Focus Features for a reported $15 million, Obsession now stands as the highest‑grossing festival acquisition and the biggest film ever made for under $1 million.
- The title’s rare box‑office legs—week‑to‑week gains after opening and steady international play—were driven by strong critical response and word‑of‑mouth rather than franchise marketing.
- The breakout is already changing careers and studio plans: director Curry Barker is developing follow‑ups, Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston are linked to major studio projects, and studios are re‑examining the commercial potential of low‑budget originals.