Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Backrooms Shatters A24 Record With $87M Opening as Obsession Crosses $106M
A24's Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons, opened to an estimated $85 million–$88 million this weekend, setting a new all-time studio record and more than tripling the previous benchmark set by Civil War. The $10 million horror film, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, earned $38 million on Friday alone. Meanwhile, Focus Features' Obsession defied box office gravity in its third weekend, climbing an estimated 19 percent to $28.5 million—making it the first film in more than 40 years to increase in both its second and third weekends outside of Christmas. The Curry Barker film's domestic cumulative surpassed $106 million.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Warner Bros.’ De Luca Says Creator-Audience Dialogue Is Hollywood’s New Marketing Playbook
At Saturday's Produced By Conference at Universal Studios, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Co-Chair Michael De Luca credited the success of Backrooms and Obsession to a fundamentally different marketing approach. "These filmmakers are in a dialogue with their audience from the word 'Go,'" De Luca said, noting how YouTube directors like Kane Parsons effectively ran a billion informal test screenings through subscriber channels before production began. De Luca also highlighted the strength of digital and online advertising, citing how creator communities amplified Barbie's campaign and how Tom Cruise's social post sparked Barbenheimer. He called authentic filmmaker relationships "the real IP," not the content itself.
Sources: Deadline
Blumhouse-Atomic Monster Targets ‘Disney of Horror’ as YouTube Pipeline Reshapes Genre
At Saturday's Produced By Conference, Blumhouse-Atomic Monster co-chiefs Jason Blum and James Wan said the success of Obsession and Backrooms reflects a generational shift in how horror is marketed. Blum credited YouTube-native directors whose embrace of audience testing sets them apart—traditional test screenings are akin to "swallowing glass," while creator-directors sit recording the audience's reactions. He revealed Obsession became the first film since E.T. to increase at the box office two weekends running after opening. Blum traced the breakthrough to a strategic pivot roughly a year ago, hiring Sam Zimmerman to return Blumhouse to low-budget originals. The stated five-year goal: becoming "the Disney of horror."
Sources: Deadline
Pixar’s Cryptic ‘TS’ Billboard Ignites Taylor Swift Soundtrack Speculation for Toy Story 5
Disney Pixar's marketing team sparked fan speculation this weekend after a Toy Story 5 billboard appeared displaying the initials "TS" alongside 13 clouds from Andy's bedroom wallpaper—imagery long associated with Taylor Swift, who considers 13 her lucky number. On Saturday, Pixar amplified the campaign by posting a video of cowgirl Jessie dancing on the billboard with a caption quoting Swift's hit "Shake It Off." Representatives for Disney and Swift offered no comment on any involvement. The sequel opens June 19 and features returning voices Tom Hanks and Tim Allen alongside newcomers Greta Lee, Conan O'Brien, and Keanu Reeves.
Sources: Deadline
Independent Studios Lead as Franchises Falter: The Backrooms-Obsession Blueprint for Hollywood
Owen Gleiberman, Variety's chief film critic, argues that the simultaneous breakouts of Backrooms and Obsession demonstrate that audiences still crave theatrical surprise. Both films come from independent companies—A24 released Backrooms, while Focus Features acquired Obsession for $14 million at Toronto—even as Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu landed a comparably soft opening by franchise standards. Gleiberman credits A24's recent run—from Marty Supreme through The Drama to Backrooms—as the studio entering what he calls "its full Miramax era." He also argues that studios respecting theatrical windows is essential, contending that delayed home releases still drive cinema attendance.
Sources: Variety
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Backrooms | May 29 | $87M | $87M |
| 2 | Obsession | May 15 | $28.5M | $106M |
| 3 | Star Wars: Mandalorian & Grogu | May 22 | $24M | $106M |
| 4 | Michael | Apr 24 | $14M | $329M |
| 5 | The Breadwinner | May 29 | $7.5M | $7.5M |
| 6 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $7.5M | $204M |
| 7 | Pressure | May 29 | $5.4M | $5.4M |
| 8 | The Sheep Detectives | May 8 | $5.5M | $49M |
| 9 | Passenger | May 22 | $5M | $14M |
| 10 | Mortal Kombat II | May 8 | $3M | $76M |
| 11 | I Love Boosters | May 22 | $2.4M | $6M |
| 12 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Mar 27 | $2M | $426M |
| 13 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 13 | $1.8M | $341M |
| 14 | In the Grey | May 15 | $0.4M | $5.4M |
| 15 | Is God Is | May 15 | $0.35M | $4.4M |
| 16 | Hokum | May 1 | $0.14M | $16.7M |
| 17 | Hoppers | Feb 27 | $0.09M | $166M |
| 18 | Tuner | May 22 | $0.07M | $0.2M |
| 19 | Saccharine | May 22 | $0.04M | $0.1M |
| 20 | Mobile Suit Gundam: Nymph Circe | May 15 | $0.02M | $1.2M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates, May 29–31, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency