Horror makes a killing: ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ take #1 and #2 at box office

According to Variety, Backrooms had the biggest debut in history for an original horror film, as well as the biggest debut for a first-time filmmaker on a non-franchise film. Parsons is the youngest director to have a #1 film at the box office.

The film is based on Parsons’ popular YouTube series, and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve as two people who enter a secret doorway into a maze of seemingly endless rooms.

Coming in at #2 in its third week of release was another horror film from a young director and former YouTuber, Obsession, which took in $26.4 million. The film, directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker, tells the story of a crush gone horribly wrong.

The week’s other two new releases, Nate Bargatze’s The Breadwinner and the World War II film Pressure, came in at numbers 5 and 7, respectively.

Here are the top 10 films at the box office:

1. Backrooms — $81.5 million
2. Obsession — $26.4 million
3. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu — $25 million
4. Michael — $11.7 million
5. The Breadwinner — $7.5 million
6. The Devil Wears Prada 2 — $5.9 million
7. Pressure — $5.75 million
8. The Sheep Detectives — $4.6 million
9. Passenger — $2.6 million
10. Mortal Kombat II — $2 million

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