YouTuber box office boom: 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession' draw Gen Z to theaters

It wasn't just a domestic hit either; Including international showings, "Backrooms" has already made $118 million globally. A24 said Parsons is now the youngest director to have a No. 1 film globally. It's also a record opening for the studio, whose previous high-water mark was "Civil War," which opened to $25.5 million in 2024. The R-rated film was well-reviewed by critics and drew a young and diverse crowd to theaters.

According to exit polls, 86% of the audience was under 35, more than half were under 25 and 44% were under 21. Many attended in groups and there were reports of sold-out shows, packed theaters and repeat viewings. Audiences gave it a less-than-stellar B- CinemaScore, however.

But the buzz is still creating a frenzy of all ages, even teenagers, wanting to see "Backrooms." Some theaters have even posted employees outside of the screens to make sure that anyone under 21 is accompanied by an adult. The same is true for the R-rated "Obsession," which has now made $104.7 million in North America, and is now Focus Features' highest grossing domestic release. Luis Olloqui, the CEO of Cinépolis USA, which operates 26 theaters across the country - most of which are dine-in - said they've seen sellouts at many of their locations for both movies. "We were a little worried that they would be competing for the same audience.

It's not the case," Olloqui said. "It shows that when we have the right content, people from all ages are willing to go to the theater."