it’s not at all Barbenheimer 2.0, but the box office giant of Backrooms and Obsession Still very impressive. Independent horror films, released within weeks of each other in May, have been unstoppable: not even a new star wars The movie could ruin the popcorn party. And now, both films have officially surpassed the $200 million mark, setting new records for their respective studios.
Obsessionwhich opened its doors on May 15, achieved the rare feat to improve its ticket sales during its second week of release, proof that it was on the rise not only in glowing reviews but also enthusiastic word of mouth. According the hollywood reporterCurry Barker’s film, made on a budget of around $750,000, is now the highest-grossing Focus Features film of all time, having surpassed $200 million worldwide. (It already held the title of Focus’ highest-grossing domestic film; it currently stands at $151 million in that column.)
What’s more, Obsession “fell just 7 percent in its fourth weekend, with its $25.6 million setting a record for the best fourth weekend for a horror film, as well as the best fourth weekend for a horror film. The previous record holder in both respects was Blair Witch Projectwhich dropped 9 percent in 1999 and earned $24.2 million in its fourth weekend,” THR writes.
And here’s another curious fact: Obsession It is also “the first movie since 1982.” ET: The Extraterrestrial will increase on weekends two and three.”
In the theater next door, equally haunted, Backrooms—which opened on May 29 and exceeded initial projections at the level A24’s biggest opening weekend—has reached the $200 million milestone in even less time. Variety reports that Kane Parsons’ film, made for $10 million, is now “officially A24’s highest-grossing world release, as well as the studio’s first film to surpass $200 million in ticket sales.”
Backrooms It has also caught on overseas, where, as Variety notes, it has grossed “$77 million in 57 territories” and “broke opening weekend records for A24 in 41 countries.” Among its other superlatives, it is also “the highest-grossing title in the studio’s history” in Latin America.
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