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Young audiences turned out in droves to movie theaters around the country this weekend. It wasn't for the big budget 'Star Wars' movie, 'The Mandalorian and Grogu', which fell sharply in its second weekend, however, but for a small budget horror from a 20-year-old first-time filmmaker that began on the internet.
'Backrooms' breaks box office records
'Backrooms', released by A24 in 3,442 locations in the U.S. and Canada, made an astonishing USD 81.5 million in its first three days in theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday. That's just a few hundred thousand dollars shy of what 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' earned in its first three days last weekend; And 'Backrooms', which was directed and co-written by YouTube creator Kane Parsons, cost only USD 10 million to produce.
About 'Backrooms'
Directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, who created the 'Backrooms' web series as a teenager, the movie's massive opening weekend haul is the largest ever for an original horror film and more than doubles A24's previous best domestic opening, according to Variety. Parsons also becomes the youngest director ever to debut at number one with a feature film, the entertainment trade publication said.Starring Oscar nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, the movie follows a furniture shop owner (Ejiofor) who discovers a mysterious, labyrinthine complex underneath his store.
When the man goes missing, his therapist (Reinsve) steps inside the liminal space to try and find him.The online series, which began in 2022, became part of a phenomenon known as "creepypasta" - a short horror story reposted and modified around the web, to which other users added details such as monsters and undiscovered dimensions.
'Obsession' scores USD 150 million haul
The wild success of 'Backrooms' didn't even hurt 'Obsession', which is also the directorial debut of a YouTuber, Curry Barker, who is only 26.
Three weekends in, 'Obsession' a movie that cost less than USD 1 million to make, still hasn't dropped below its opening weekend earnings. This weekend, it was up 10% with another USD 26.4 million for a second-place finish.Exhibitor Relations reported, and now has a global estimated haul of nearly USD 150 million on a budget of less than USD1 million.Inde Navarrette has earned particular plaudits for her role as a young woman who becomes dangerously infatuated with a man, played by Michael Johnston, after he makes a magical wish for her affection.
'The Mandalorian and Grogu' rounds up top 3
'Star Wars', the legacy franchise movie from the veteran filmmaker and the Walt Disney Studios, came in third with a USD 25 million collection. 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu' Disney's latest entry in the blockbuster sci-fi franchise, plummeted nearly 70 percent in its second weekend in theaters.The film is a jump to the big screen for the hit streaming series, and the first Star Wars film to be released in theaters since 2019's 'The Rise of Skywalker'.The film, meanwhile, fell around 69% from its opening last weekend. The movie has now made USD 246.6 million globally.
Big year for YouTube filmmakers
YouTube might not be the death of movie theaters after all. If this weekend is any indication, it could be the industry's new great hope.This is a weekend where theaters also hosted the debuts of 'The Breadwinner', a PG-rated family comedy starring the popular comedian Nate Bargatze, and 'Pressure', a solid World War II drama about the tense 72 hours before D-Day with Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser.
But it was the 20-something YouTubers that drew the most crowds. And both 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession' were produced by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster.Abhijay Prakash, the president of Blumhouse-Atomic Monster said that the weekend is both staggering and validation of their business, which has from the beginning championed original horror movies that appeal to younger audiences, and generated over USD 10 billion in box office to date.He noted that they've made a point of looking for up and coming talent on YouTube and, knowing how Hollywood works, this weekend likely inspire a wave of copycats. But beyond that, he's encouraged by the fact that the young creators who've already had enormous success online still value the cultural currency of theatrical movies."It's a great sign of relevance for us," Prakash said. "With some distance, we'll probably look back at this as a real turning point."
'Michael' crosses USD 800 million mark
'Michael' landed in fourth place with USD 11.7 million in its sixth weekend - the musical biopic has made USD 339.9 million domestically to date. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring the late popstar's nephew Jaafar Jackson, has now taken in USD 340 million at the domestic box office and over USD 845 million globally, according to Exhibitor Relations.Fifth place went to Sony's comedy 'The Breadwinner', which took in USD 7.5 million in its debut weekend.
Comedian Nate Bergatze - one of the highest-grossing American stand-ups with a deadpan act focusing on family life - stars in the movie as a dad who must take care of the kids while his wife is away on business.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: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," $5.8 million.8. "The Sheep Detectives," $4.6 million.9. "Passenger," $2.6 million.10. "Mortal Kombat II," $2 million.
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