Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Thursday, May 28, 2026
A24’s Backrooms Tracks for $40–$45M Opening Weekend, Set to Shatter Studio Record
A24’s horror film Backrooms, directed by 20-year-old YouTube creator Kane Parsons, is tracking for a $40–$45 million domestic debut when it opens in 3,400 theaters this weekend — which would shatter A24’s all-time opening record of $25.5 million set by Civil War in 2024. The micro-budget film, produced for roughly $10 million with Chernin Entertainment, earned an 81% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of Thursday night previews at 4 p.m. Mandalorian and Grogu is expected to earn approximately $40 million in its second weekend, setting up a rare No. 1 race between a legacy franchise and an internet-native IP.
Sources: Deadline
YouTube Creators Are Delivering 2026’s Most Profitable Theatrical Releases
Three YouTube creators have delivered some of 2026’s most profitable theatrical releases. Director Curry Barker’s debut feature Obsession has earned $62 million domestically — against a production cost of less than $1 million and a $15 million acquisition by Focus Features. Markiplier’s Iron Lung generated $50 million against a $3 million self-financed budget. This weekend, A24’s Backrooms from Kane Parsons, whose source series has amassed 190 million YouTube views, is tracking for $40–$50 million on a $10 million budget. Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian said the trend shows the small screen can function as a powerful theatrical pipeline rather than its competitor.
Sources: Variety
Disclosure Day Earns Sweeping Praise at Press Screening: “Spielberg’s Best Film in 20 Years”
Universal’s Disclosure Day, directed by three-time Oscar winner Steven Spielberg and starring Emily Blunt, generated sweeping praise at an early press screening on May 27, with reviewers calling it “Spielberg’s best film in 20 years” and comparing it to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Blunt’s performance was described as her “most accomplished to date,” alongside praise for John Williams’ score and David Koepp’s “X-Files-meets-the-Bible” script. Universal simultaneously released a final trailer featuring Spielberg stating he now believes “we are not the only intelligent life in the universe.” The film opens June 12 with tickets now on sale.
Sources: Deadline
Spielberg Draws His Clearest Line on AI: “No Substitute for the Soul”
Three-time Oscar winner Steven Spielberg drew his clearest line yet on artificial intelligence during an appearance on the IMO podcast, hosted by Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. “Where I don’t love AI is where it takes a position, or there’s an empty chair at a writer’s table,” Spielberg said. “I don’t believe there is any substitute for the soul.” While open to AI for production logistics such as location scouting, he opposed its use in dialogue, camera direction, and production design. The comments come as SAG-AFTRA endorsed the Trump administration’s new AI framework establishing intellectual property and performer protections.
Sources: Deadline
Sony and Nate Bargatze Launch “Nate Rate” Flexible Ticket Pricing for The Breadwinner
Sony Pictures and comedian Nate Bargatze are piloting a flexible pricing strategy for family comedy The Breadwinner, opening May 29 in 3,300 theaters with an $8 million tracking estimate. Dubbed the “Nate Rate,” the initiative has AMC offering special matinee pricing and Cinemark discounting tickets by 25%, with Bargatze — one of the world’s top-grossing touring comedians, earning $11.2 million from 15 April shows — personally encouraging fan attendance. The approach echoes Paramount’s 2023 flexible-pricing experiment with 80 for Brady, which opened to $12.7 million. Sony produced the film for a net $25 million; previews begin Thursday at noon.
Sources: Deadline
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | May 22 | $81.7M | $81.7M |
| 2 | Obsession | May 15 | $24.0M | $54.3M |
| 3 | Michael | Apr 24 | $20.6M | $314.8M |
| 4 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $12.7M | $196.2M |
| 5 | The Sheep Detectives | May 8 | $9.2M | $43.7M |
| 6 | Passenger | May 22 | $8.7M | $8.7M |
| 7 | Mortal Kombat II | May 8 | $6.1M | $72.7M |
| 8 | I Love Boosters | May 22 | $3.8M | $3.8M |
| 9 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 3 | $3.2M | $423.7M |
| 10 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20 | $2.7M | $339.6M |
| 11 | In the Grey | May 15 | $933K | $5.0M |
| 12 | Is God Is | May 15 | $876K | $4.0M |
| 13 | Hokum | May 1 | $373K | $16.5M |
| 14 | Top Gun / Top Gun: Maverick (40th Anniversary) | May 15 | $143K | $6.4M |
| 15 | Tuner | May 22 | $104K | $104K |
| 16 | Hoppers | Mar 6 | $96K | $165.9M |
| 17 | Shrek (25th Anniversary) | May 15 | $75K | $1.7M |
| 18 | Silent Friend | May 8 | $74K | $230K |
| 19 | Saccharine | May 22 | $64K | $64K |
| 20 | Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: Sorcery of Nymph Circe | May 15 | $56K | $1.1M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates · May 22–24, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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