A24 has announced that the horror film "Backrooms" will receive a digital release on Tuesday, July 14. The movie will be available for rent and purchase for $24.99 across various digital platforms, including Amazon and Apple TV. A release date for physical media such as Blu-ray and a streaming availability are still pending.
"Backrooms" has achieved significant commercial success, becoming A24's highest-grossing film to date with over $359 million in worldwide box office revenue against a modest $10 million budget. This performance places it ninth among global box office performers for the year.
Directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, the film marks his directorial debut at the top of both domestic and global box office charts, making him the youngest director in history to achieve this feat. Parsons originally gained recognition for his horror shorts on YouTube, including a "The Backrooms" web series. The film itself is based on an internet creepypasta, which originated from an unsettling image of a yellow room and evolved through collaborative storytelling into a narrative about an extradimensional space inhabited by strange creatures. The movie follows Clark, a furniture store owner played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who discovers a passage into the titular Backrooms and recruits others, including his therapist Mary played by Renate Reinsve, to explore the space with disastrous consequences.
"Backrooms" is part of a trend of successful, low-budget horror films connecting with younger audiences, a category that also includes Blumhouse's "Obsession." The success of these films, often spearheaded by directors who began their careers on platforms like YouTube, stands in contrast to the performance of some larger-budget Hollywood sequels. Director Kane Parsons has expressed interest in continuing the "Backrooms" story, suggesting a sequel may be in development.