Kane Parsons’ Debut Feature Triples The Previous A24 Record Set By Civil War In 2024 Making The 20-Year-Old Director The Most Commercially Successful Debut In The Studio’s History In Its Very First Weekend
According to Variety, Kane Parsons’ Backrooms earned $38 million domestic on its opening Friday from 3,442 theatres, already shattering the record for A24’s best-ever opening weekend before Saturday has even been counted.
The film is projected to gross between $85 million and $90 million through the full three-day weekend; more than triple the previous A24 record of $25.5 million set by Alex Garland’s Civil War in 2024.
The achievement is extraordinary in context. Parsons launched the Backrooms as a viral YouTube series while still a teenager. He is now 20 years old. His debut feature, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, and Mark Duplass, was produced by James Wan, Shawn Levy, and Osgood Perkins, with Chernin Entertainment as co-studio. The film follows a small-town furniture store owner who discovers a portal to an otherworldly dimension in his showroom.
No other new release came close. Second place on Friday went to Obsession with $8.1 million in its third week. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu fell 70% on its second Friday to $6.5 million.
To check out our previous coverage on Backrooms, A24, and the film industry, read our articles here.
