Movies
‘Backrooms’ Crosses $200 Million at the Worldwide Box Office
A24 and director Kane Parsons’ Backrooms continues its explosive theatrical run, adding another major milestone just weeks after its record-breaking debut.
After opening to a massive $81.4 million domestic weekend, the liminal horror film followed up with $25.9 million in its second frame, landing in third place at the box office behind Scary Movie and Masters of the Universe. That represents a 70% drop, but one that was largely expected given the size of its opening.
Despite the slowdown, Backrooms continues to climb steadily through the charts.
The film’s domestic total now sits at $135 million, while its global box office has officially crossed $200 million, reaching $212.6 million worldwide.
With its latest milestone, Backrooms is now the second highest-grossing horror film of 2026, trailing only Obsession—and closing the gap fast.
At the time of reporting, Obsession holds:
- $224.7 million worldwide
- $152.1 million domestic
With just a small difference separating the two films globally, the race for the top horror title of the year is still very much active.
One of the biggest factors behind Backrooms’ success is its relatively modest budget. The film was reportedly made for around $10 million, making its $200M+ global run an extraordinary return.
From its Thursday night previews onward, the film performed like a breakout phenomenon, quickly establishing itself as one of the most profitable horror releases of the year.
Every additional week in theaters is now pure upside for A24 and Blumhouse.
In Backrooms, Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as the owner of Cap’n Clark’s Ottoman Empire, who discovers a hidden doorway in the basement of his furniture showroom. What begins as curiosity quickly turns into a descent into a surreal, endless liminal dimension.
Inside, reality collapses into a creepypasta-inspired nightmare where escape may not be possible.
Renate Reinsve (A Different Man) also stars.
With $200 million worldwide and still climbing, Backrooms has firmly established itself as one of 2026’s biggest horror hits—and one of A24’s most surprising box office successes to date.
