Chiwetel Ejiofor in ‘Backrooms’. Credit: Courtesy of A24.
Preview:
- ‘Backrooms’ handily topped the box office this weekend.
- ‘Obsession’ scored more success in its third week of release.
- But ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ fell badly.
This weekend, it was All Hail Horror. And, for that matter, All Hail Originality, as Kane Parsons‘ creepy ‘Backrooms,’ adapted from his own online series, kicked off its run at the box office with a huge success, earning more than $81 million across the three days.
There was also reason to celebrate Curry Barker’s ‘Obsession,’ which surged rose 10% from the prior weekend, which was already up a stunning 39% from its solid $17 million debut, defying box office norms as the first film since ‘E.T. The Extraterrestrial’ in 1982 to see ticket sales increase in its second and third weekends outside of the holiday season. ‘Obsession’ took in $26.4 million.
Release Date: May 29, 2026
Run Time: 1 hr 50 min
Budget: $10,000,000
Here’s Blumhouse’s Jason Blum, who co-produced both movies, taking to Twitter to mark the occasion:
“Blumhouse-Atomic Monster has the No. 1 and No. 2 movies in the country this weekend, both made for almost no money. Theaters are packed. What a time to be making scary movies.”
Related Article: ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Launches Atop Memorial Day Weekend Box Office
Top Five Movies at the Box Office
Renate Reinsve in ‘Backrooms’. Credit: Asterios Moutsokapas.
1. ‘Backrooms’ -$81 million
2. ‘Obsession’ -$26.4 million
3. ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ -$25 million
4. ‘Michael’ -$11.7 million
5. ‘The Breadwinner’ -$7.5 million
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
(L to R) Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu in Lucasfilm’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’. Photo by Francois Duhamel. © 2025 Lucasfilm Ltd™. All Rights Reserved.
Despite much hype (and decent reviews), the latest ‘Star Wars’ entry, ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu,’ saw its jet pack run out of fuel, cratering to third place. It has earned $246.6 million globally so far.
New World War II drama ‘Pressure’ couldn’t take its own name, arriving in seventh place with $5.4 million. Nate Bargatze’s comedy ‘The Breadwinner’ fared better, cracking the top five on $7.5 million.
Chiwetel Ejiofor in ‘Backrooms’. Credit: Courtesy of A24.