A24’s Highest-Grossing Movie That Beat Marty Supreme Officially Takes Over HBO Max

A24’s Backrooms broke all stereotypes about YouTube filmmakers making it big in Hollywood when Kane Parsons’ horror thriller became the studio’s highest-grossing film of all time. Now it has taken over streaming charts by topping the HBO Max most-watched movies list in the week of its opening on the streamer.

While the indie studio had its biggie with Marty Supreme last year, Backrooms surpassed it with its over $400 million box office performance (via Box Office Mojo). Along with Curry Barker’s Obsession, the film was one of the biggest summer hits that proved that Hollywood did not need superheroes or big budgets to become a pop culture phenomenon.

A24’s Backrooms Wins in Streaming After Grossing Over $400 Million

A still from Backrooms | Credits: A24

According to FlixPatrol, Backrooms is the most-streamed movie on HBO Max on September 27, 2026, after debuting on the platform on September 25. The film is based on Parsons’ own YouTube web series, which explored liminal spaces, and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. The film was a huge hit at the box office.

The film has surpassed big Hollywood films on the platform, like Supergirl and American Made, with the former being a DCU project. This comes after a dream run at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon. The film, along with Obsession, has been credited with reviving the horror genre this year, as well as celebrating original stories from original creators.

A24 has consistently backed original stories and filmmakers, with their previous highest-grosser, Marty Supreme, coming from Josh Safdie. The film was, at the time, its biggest hit after it earned $192.4 million at the box office against a $70 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). Even Everything Everywhere All at Once was an original film that earned big money and Oscar glory.

The success of Backrooms in cinemas and on streaming could be an indication of what the audience wants from films right now. Despite being made on a modest $10 million budget, the film brought its internet-born audience to the cinemas and sustained relevance beyond the opening weekend. Eventually, it earned more than $400 million at the box office. Undoubtedly, original films that have already proven their record can make a difference.

Backrooms and Obsession‘s Success Was Compared to Easy Rider

The cast of Obsession | Credits: Focus Features/Universal

Both Kane Parsons and Curry Barker had their beginnings on YouTube. Parsons began his Backrooms journey on his channel with episodes, while Barker was a content creator who made sketches. However, both filmmakers have now become the talk of the town, crafting incredible blockbusters with modest budgets. They have even received appreciation from Steven Spielberg.

While many have called this an anomaly, Hollywood also seems to be taking notes and has considered looking for more YouTube creators for their projects. Parsons is already back with a Backrooms sequel in development, while Curry Barker has already made his second film, Anything but Ghosts. Many other YouTube filmmakers have been tapped to turn their popular shorts into features.

Michael Barker, the co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, compared the success of Obsession and Backrooms to how the road film Easy Rider became a cultural phenomenon on a modest budget. Crediting the films’ success and cultural impact to the overall sentiment of the audience, the Sony executive told industry insiders at the Zurich Summit (via Variety),

‘Easy Rider’ came out in the middle of the Vietnam War, in the middle of a right-wing presidency. It spoke to young people; they responded in huge numbers, and it affected the movies that were gonna be made afterwards. I think this is that moment, this summer with ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’.

Easy Rider was made on a shoestring budget of $400,000 and earned over $60 million at the box office, and it spoke about hippie culture and motorcycle gangs. The pattern seems to be similar, and Hollywood seems to be leaning into this trend for the next few projects.

How do you think Backrooms has impacted the future of Hollywood? Comment below.