Reports have surfaced of A24 Films LLC, the production company behind the recent horror hit "The Backrooms," issuing copyright strikes against various pieces of Backrooms-inspired content that do not appear to be directly related to the film. These actions have led to takedown notices for fan artwork and the banning of a developer's account on the Google Play store.
One user on the r/backrooms subreddit, GnarlyNet, detailed an experience where their artwork, which was derived from the original 2019 Backrooms image and predated the film, received a copyright strike on the commerce site Redbubble. Similar complaints have emerged from other creators, including the indie game development team Davilkus Games. According to a report by Kotaku, Davilkus Games received three copyright strikes this month concerning their liminal horror game project, which ultimately resulted in their Google Play developer account being banned.
Kane Parsons, director of "The Backrooms" film, has publicly stated that he is investigating these reports. In a message on the subreddit, Parsons wrote, "I'm looking into this. Should not be happening." The situation suggests that A24 may be utilizing an automated system for copyright enforcement, which could be incorrectly flagging content created independently of the film. While A24 has the legal right to protect its film's intellectual property, the Backrooms concept itself, as a creepypasta genre, has spawned numerous fan projects, artwork, and video games that exist outside of any single owner's copyright.
This copyright enforcement activity comes amid broader discussion surrounding A24's business practices. The company recently announced a significant $75 million AI research partnership with Google's DeepMind, a deal that has drawn criticism from some film enthusiasts. Parsons has reportedly clarified on his Discord server that the funds from this partnership would not be allocated to "The Backrooms" or any potential sequels. The film itself has been a considerable financial success, grossing nearly $375 million against a production budget of $10 million. Parsons' next directorial project is slated to be a film adaptation of Valve's popular video game "Portal."