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A24 adapts viral horror concept for the big screen
A mustard-yellow office corridor, fluorescent lights, and an endless maze of empty rooms-this is the unsettling world of Backrooms, the latest horror film from A24, released on Friday. The movie transforms an internet-born creepypasta into a psychological thriller, tapping into a generation's fascination with liminal spaces and digital dread.
The origins of a digital nightmare
The Backrooms concept emerged in 2019 on 4chan, where an anonymous user shared an image of an abandoned office with a simple warning: "If you're not careful and you noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you'll end up in the Backrooms." The post described a labyrinth of identical rooms, filled with the hum of fluorescent lights, the stench of damp carpet, and an ominous warning: "God save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you."
The idea quickly spread, evolving into a YouTube series by then-16-year-old Kane Parsons. Using Blender, a free 3D animation tool, Parsons crafted eerie, low-budget environments that resonated with millions. His first video, "Found Footage," racked up 80 million views, and the series now boasts over 200 million across its episodes.
From YouTube to Hollywood
A24, the studio behind Oscar-nominated horror films like The Substance, saw potential in the concept and enlisted Parsons-now 20-to direct the film adaptation. The studio's youngest-ever director, Parsons aimed to bring a "real physicality" to the project, constructing a 30,000-square-foot set based on his original Blender designs. "It lets us buy into the characters to a greater degree," he said.
The film stars Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark, a furniture store salesman grappling with the aftermath of his marriage's collapse. When he and his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve), stumble into the Backrooms, the space begins to exploit their unresolved traumas. Screenwriter Will Soodik uses the setting to explore mental health, framing the Backrooms as a physical manifestation of memory and psychological unraveling.
"Make peace with it before anything else, because I don't like to give false optimism."
Kane Parsons, director of Backrooms
Why liminal spaces haunt us
The Backrooms phenomenon reflects a broader cultural fascination with liminal spaces-transitional areas like hallways, stairwells, or empty offices that evoke unease. Neuroscience and architecture expert Meredith Banasiak explains that these spaces trigger the "doorway effect," a cognitive glitch where our brains struggle to process shifting environments. "When spaces start blending together, the way we remember blends too," she said.
For trauma survivors, these environments can be particularly distressing. The Backrooms' Reddit forum, with over 350,000 subscribers, describes the concept as "deeply existential," focusing less on monsters and more on the terror of the unknown. "It's about the uncertainty of what else might already exist in the space with you," moderators wrote.
Gen Z's digital dread
The Backrooms' appeal lies in its reflection of Gen Z's anxieties. TikTok is flooded with Backrooms-themed content, amassing over 30 billion views collectively. Internet researcher Gunseli Yalcinkaya links this trend to a "mournful nostalgia" for pre-internet spaces and the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. "There's already a sense that reality is glitching, nothing feels real anymore," she said.
The film joins a wave of internet-native horror, including Markiplier's Iron Lung, which grossed over $50 million worldwide. Matthew Frank, author of The Ankler's Crowd Pleaser newsletter, calls this shift a "sea change" for Hollywood, as studios scour online culture for fresh talent and built-in audiences. "Backrooms has this appeal as a piece of internet-native IP," he said.
Early buzz and box office potential
The Backrooms trailer became one of A24's most-viewed uploads, with 31 million views. Early projections suggest the film will surpass its $10 million budget, positioning it as a rare "event" movie in a struggling theatrical landscape. For Parsons, the focus on his age-rather than his work-has been frustrating. "Almost immediately, it was just us, in a vacuum, talking about the project," he said. "I like to think I made up for any lack of experience by being completely obsessive."
What's next for the Backrooms?
With a dedicated fanbase and a successful debut, the Backrooms universe is poised to expand. Whether through sequels, spin-offs, or further explorations of liminal horror, one thing is clear: this internet-born nightmare is far from over.
