All articles tagged with #indie horror
Director Jane Schoenbrun's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma opened on five screens in limited release, grossing $251,500 ($50,300 per screen) and earning near-universal praise (98% on Rotten Tomatoes). With leads Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson, the meta-horror is positioned to expand, offering hopeful momentum for indie horror as Spider-Man dominates the weekend.
After two months in theaters, Obsession has grossed about $403 million worldwide (roughly $245 million domestic and $157 million international), a remarkable feat for a $750,000-budget indie horror acquired by Focus Features for $14 million at TIFF. Fueled by strong word-of-mouth and Gen Z moviegoers, the film marks a profitable breakout, echoing a broader horror trend highlighted by Backrooms’ $347 million worldwide to date.
The indie horror film Obsession has grossed $403 million globally after two months in theaters, with $245 million domestic and $157 million overseas. Produced for $750,000 and acquired by Focus Features for $14 million at TIFF, it has become highly profitable thanks to strong word-of-mouth and a Gen Z audience, with weekend box office rising through the July 4 holiday.
Two ultra-low-budget horror films, Backrooms (~$10m) and Obsession (~$1m), are delivering blockbuster-style profits and signaling a shift in Hollywood away from expensive IP. Backrooms opened with about $81m in the US ($135m US total); Obsession has $152m US and $225m worldwide, outpacing Masters of the Universe and The Mandalorian and Grogu. Both projects come from Gen Z directors who built their craft via YouTube, suggesting studios will lean toward original, younger-skewing indie cinema in the future.
Steven Spielberg praised the indie horror hits Obsession and Backrooms for their strong box-office performance on very small budgets, noting Obsession cost under $1 million and Backrooms around $9–10 million. Obsession has grossed about $151.3 million domestically, while Backrooms has about $81.4 million in the U.S. and $118 million worldwide, marking a notable breakthrough for A24/Focus Features.
Twenty years after the indie horror hit Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, a sequel is in the works—Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon—reuniting director Scott Glosserman, writer David J. Stieve, and original stars Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, and Robert Englund. Paper Street Pictures is producing, with a Kickstarter to expand the scope (bigger set pieces, cameos), and Adam F. Goldberg joining as an executive producer.
The indie horror game Horses was temporarily banned from Steam and Epic Games Store due to controversial content involving nudity and themes of enslavement, but it was later reinstated on Humble Store after review. The developer, Santa Ragione, changed some content to address concerns, but faced rejection from both platforms, with Epic citing violations of content guidelines and an AO rating. The controversy has brought attention to the game, which remains available on itch.io and GOG.
Eli Roth's new horror company, The Horror Section, is launching with a focus on extreme horror films like 'Jimmy & Stiggs,' which is opening in theaters. Roth aims to revive interest in theatrical horror by working directly with theater chains, offering unique experiences and supporting emerging filmmakers, inspired by his childhood love for shocking, visceral movies.