Backrooms director Kane Parsons has stated he is looking into copyright strikes allegedly issued by A24 against content creators whose artwork is inspired by the popular creepypasta and its recent film adaptation. The filmmaker assured fans that the situation "should not be happening."
Reports of copyright issues began surfacing around July 14 and 15, with several users on Reddit detailing takedown notices received on platforms like Redbubble. One user, 'GnarlyNet,' posted that their yellow wallpaper pattern, intended to evoke the original Backrooms image, was removed due to a complaint from "A24 Films LLC." Despite the user's argument that their work was inspired by the foundational creepypasta rather than Parsons' film, the content was removed.
Similar incidents were reported by other creators. One user shared their experience of having non-wallpaper related art, depicting figures in a hallway and an office space reminiscent of the Backrooms aesthetic, also taken down by A24. An indie game developer also claimed their Backrooms-inspired game was removed from the Google Play store for violating policies by impersonating 'The Backrooms' brand.
Speculation among fans suggests that A24 might be employing automated services to issue these takedown notices, potentially leading to broad enforcement against any content perceived as related to The Backrooms. The community is now awaiting further developments from Parsons' investigation, with some expressing concern about potential copyright issues for other emerging creepypasta properties like the SCP Foundation and Sirenhead, which have inspired a wide range of fan-made games, films, and art.