A 20-year-old has just set a new box office record.
Kane Parsons has become the youngest film-maker to open a film at number one at the North American box office for his directing debut, Backrooms. Parsons is seven years younger than the previous record holder, Josh Trank, who was 27 when his debut Chronicle recorded a $22 million opening in 2011.
Backrooms took $81 million in its first weekend in North America, a result that stunned industry observers and also set a record for its studio, A24.
The film is based on Parsons’ YouTube series of the same name, itself inspired by the “creepypasta” Backrooms, which refers to a fictional space of infinite, interconnected spaces.
The Guardian’s chief critic Peter Bradshaw described the film as “an icily brilliant and genuinely disturbing conceptual horror film”.
Parsons’ age has sparked online claims that he did not direct the film. Actor Mark Duplass pushed back on those rumours, writing: “Hmmm, with all due respect I don’t remember seeing you on set. When I was there, Kane was 100% in control. More so than many directors 3x his age.”
Parsons also responded, saying: “This is actually all true. They don’t tell you this, but 96% of all movies released in North America and Europe are actually directed by the same person. They call him ‘The Older Gentleman’. He has had all of Hollywood in a chokehold for decades now.”
Backrooms’ box office run follows another low-budget horror hit, Obsession, directed by Curry Barker. Barker is 26, six years older than Parsons. Obsession was released on 15 May with a $17.1 million opening weekend in North America, and has now recorded $104.7 million after four weeks.
Read more from The Guardian.
