Gen Z Turns Tiny Horror Into Theatrical Gold
TL;DR Summary
Two ultra-budget Gen Z-driven horror films, Obsession and Backrooms, have upended Hollywood norms: Obsession grossed hundreds of millions on a sub-$1 million budget, while Backrooms became a record-breaking A24 release in 10 days, proving young audiences will turn out when films feel like events created outside the big studio system. The movies leverage online discourse, creator origins on YouTube, and meme-driven engagement to fuel theater-going, signaling Hollywood may need a new playbook that favors low-cost, creator-driven projects that resonate with Gen Z.
- A Gen Z Revolution at the Movies The New York Times
- Did ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ Really Kick Off a Gen-Z Horror Wave? Rolling Stone
- Backrooms and Obsession Are Glimpses of a Better Hollywood Jacobin
- From YouTube to Hollywood: Digital creators are remaking the movie business 10TV
- What “Backrooms” and “Obsession” reveal about Gen Z’s fears The Economist
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