Director Curry Barker has revealed that Netflix made an offer to release the horror film Obsession directly to its streaming platform before it became a surprise box office sensation. The filmmaker discussed the early days of his record-breaking low-budget movie during a recent conversation on Q with Tom Power.
Barker explained that after an early screening, multiple distributors, including Neon, Focus Features, and A24, expressed interest in acquiring the film. While Focus Features ultimately secured the distribution rights, Netflix presented a different proposition: a straight-to-streaming release.
"All of these companies are wanting to do your movie," Barker recalled his manager telling him. "At this time, I'm still thinking maybe small theatrical release. Maybe they just want to acquire it, and also, as a director, I'm thinking, I'm scared of, 'Are they going to want to change my movie? Are they going to want to take out certain parts that I like?'"
He added, "So many questions were being thrown around. I think Netflix was in the conversation at one point. They put in an offer to just put it straight on Netflix. All of these conversations started."
This offer aligns with Netflix's past strategies, which have often prioritized streaming exclusivity over theatrical runs. The company has previously been reported to be interested in shorter theatrical windows for its films, and its head of movies, Dan Lin, has stated that the company would not work with filmmakers insistent on theatrical releases.
An Obsession streaming-exclusive release would have prevented the film from achieving its significant theatrical impact. The movie, starring Inde Navarrette, Michael Johnston, Cooper Tomlinson, and Megan Lawless, went on to earn a global total of $519.4 million against a budget of $750,000, according to Box Office Mojo. Barker and his team are reportedly working on their next feature, Anything But Ghosts, and while Barker has considered ideas for an Obsession sequel, it is not expected to move forward soon.
Obsession was reviewed by IGN with a score of 8/10.