Obsession Is the Biggest Story in Theaters

By The Backlot

@backlotfriends

A silhouetted figure stands at a lit doorway of a suburban house at night in a scene from Obsession

Obsession opened May 15 on 3,200 screens. The budget was $750,000. Eight weeks later it has made $403 million worldwide and is still playing.

This matters because original horror almost never works at this scale. Studios greenlight sequels and IP because new ideas are a gamble. Curry Barker was a YouTuber with no feature credits. Blumhouse bet on him anyway.

If you love horror or filmmaking, this one is for you. Inde Navarrette carries the film on her back and critics are reaching for Exorcist comparisons. The 94% on Rotten Tomatoes held through eight weeks of wide release.

Before you go: Hereditary and The Black Phone are the closest relatives in feel. Both Blumhouse. Both built on a single unforgettable lead performance.

The group chat take: a first-time director, a three-quarter-million-dollar budget, and $400 million at the box office. Obsession is the story of 2026.

Quick Facts

Obsession Is the Biggest Story in Theaters

DirectorCurry Barker

CastInde Navarrette, Michael Johnston, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter

GenreHorror, Thriller

ReleaseMay 15, 2026

Runtime109 min

RatedR

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A $750K horror film that made $403 million worldwide. Curry Barker made his feature debut and it became the highest-grossing original horror movie ever. Obsession is still in theaters. #Obsession #Horror

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A $750K horror film that made $403M worldwide. Curry Barker made his feature debut and it became the highest-grossing original horror movie ever. Obsession is still in theaters. #Obsession

Obsession opened May 15 on 3,200 screens. The budget was $750,000. Eight weeks later it has made $403 million worldwide and is still playing.

Before you go: Hereditary and The Black Phone are the closest relatives in feel. Both Blumhouse. Both built on a single unforgettable lead performance.

The group chat take: a first-time director, a three-quarter-million-dollar budget, and $400 million at the box office. Obsession is the story of 2026.