Hollywood’s ‘Obsession’: How Alabama director’s horror hit keeps making box office history

Alabama filmmaker Curry Barker is taking the industry by storm with his breakout horror hit, "Obsession." The film has achieved a rare feat, reaching a box office milestone that has remained untouched since Steven Spielberg released "E.T." in 1982.

Defying Box Office Gravity

While most theatrical releases fade after their opening weekend, "Obsession" is gaining momentum. Since its May 15 release, the film has seen its popularity surge, climbing 10% in earnings during its most recent weekend—building on a 39% increase from its initial $17 million debut. Variety reported that this performance is a true anomaly, marking the first time a film outside of the holiday season has seen ticket sales rise in its second and third weekends since 1982.

The winning streak continued into the fourth weekend, with the movie raking in $25.6 million. This result secured the best fourth-weekend performance ever for a horror film, officially knocking the 1999 classic "The Blair Witch Project" out of the top spot.

A Record-Breaking Success Story

Produced on a lean $750,000 budget, "Obsession" has shattered expectations with over $150 million in domestic earnings and a global total exceeding $250 million. It now stands as the highest-grossing film in the history of Focus Features, outperforming titles like "Downton Abbey," "Fifty Shades of Grey," and "Coraline."

Barker recently took to Instagram to share his disbelief at the film's $100 million milestone, telling fans, "Thank you to everyone who has come out to watch the film and to everyone who helped us get here. I’m obsessed with you."

Due to the massive turnout, Focus Features extended the theatrical run well into late June. The 26-year-old director, who is also slated to helm the next installment of the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise, is now being hailed as the next big voice in horror.

A Tectonic Shift

The success of "Obsession" and Kane Parsons' "Backrooms"—which debuted at $81 million—has prompted a broader industry conversation. Both films outperformed "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu," an outcome described as "a tectonic shift in Hollywood."

On "The Big Picture" podcast, hosts Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins compared the phenomenon to the "Barbenheimer" craze of 2023, highlighting how these young creators are driving audiences back into cinemas. While major producers and legends like Steven Spielberg have praised the movement, industry analysts note that changing the focus of large, profit-driven conglomerates remains a steep hill to climb. As Dobbins noted, "They are constructed to only make the billion dollar or $2 billion dollar play. And it takes a long time to unwind that."

For now, moviegoers are enjoying the ride with "Obsession," which stars Michael Johnston and has earned praise as a modern classic in the vein of "Hereditary" and "Get Out," cementing its status as a box office smash.