'Backrooms' is the newest YouTube hit in movie theaters

Backrooms, a moody horror film based on an internet meme, is the theatrical debut for 20-year-old director Kane Parsons. Early returns suggest it could bring in an astonishing $60 million at the box office, likely beating Disney's new Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.

The picture follows recent hits made by YouTube creators: Obsession, by 26-year-old Curry Barker, has grossed $74 million, and Mark Fischbach — known to his fans as Markiplier — produced Iron Lung for a reported $3 million and has seen it reach $50 million. Those successes point to two different dynamics.

Fischbach self-financed and asked fans to help with distribution, so Iron Lung's turnout reflected direct fan support. Parsons and Barker, by contrast, worked with established studios — A24 for Backrooms and Blumhouse for Obsession — a model that looks more like Hollywood using YouTube as a farm team.

backrooms, kane parsons, youtube creators, obsession, curry barker, mark fischbach, markiplier, iron lung, a24, blumhouse