A24's Backrooms Earns 12.9 Billion Yen in US Opening, Japan Release Set
A YouTube short made by a 16-year-old has been expanded into a feature film that broke box office records for both original horror and debut features, marking a new path from internet-born content to mainstream theatrical success.
Reporting from 4 sources: Eiga Natalie, Denfaminicogamer, Cinema Today, KAI-YOU.
A24's horror film 'Backrooms' earned over $81 million (approximately 12.9 billion yen) in its US opening weekend from May 29, making it the highest-grossing original horror film and debut feature by a new director in North American history. The film also topped the global box office with $118 million (about 18.8 billion yen). Director Kane Parsons, now 20, became the youngest director ever to produce a film that ranked first in both US and worldwide box office, surpassing the previous record held by Josh Trank (27). The film is based on Parsons' YouTube short 'The Backrooms (Found Footage)', released when he was 16, which has accumulated over 200 million views. The feature was planned at age 17 and shot at 19. The cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell. Distributor Happinet Phantom Studios will release the film in Japan, though a date has not been announced. The film has sparked a social media phenomenon, with brands like McDonald's, Burger King, and IKEA Canada posting Backrooms-themed content.
International media reviews called the film "a genre-defying film" (The Guardian), "a descent into the depths of hell" (SlashFilm), and "so original it's unforgettable" (Deadline). The film's origin is an internet urban legend that spread from an image posted on the anonymous bulletin board 4chan in 2019. Parsons' short film is widely known as one of the inspirations for the Japanese horror game "Exit 8" by KOTAKE CREATE.
The Backrooms phenomenon has drawn in major brands. McDonald's posted a strange video on its official X account showing a store appearing inside the Backrooms. Burger King, Mountain Dew, and IKEA Canada posted images of their products hidden in the yellow space. The US Academy Awards also released a special video themed around liminal spaces, led by this film. Countless parody images and theories recreating the yellow space are spreading on social media.
The film runs 110 minutes. The Japanese subtitles translation is by Keiko Sato. Distributor Happinet Phantom Studios has not announced a release date for Japan. The film's copyright is held by Backrooms Rights LLC and PC Films, LLC.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.