Obsession has crossed the $400 million mark at the global box office, cementing its place as one of the year’s biggest independent film successes.
Producer Jason Blum recently told Variety that a new generation of audiences has embraced unconventional horror films. He said the genre continues to offer strong growth for cinemas at a time when the theatrical business faces wider challenges.
After two months in cinemas, the horror thriller has earned $403 million worldwide. The film collected $245 million in North America and another $157 million from international markets. Director Curry Barker made the film on a modest budget of $750,000. Focus Features later acquired the distribution rights for $14 million at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, making the project a highly profitable release.
The film has continued to attract audiences despite spending eight weekends in cinemas. During the July 4 holiday period, it earned another $5.3 million in North America and $12 million overseas. The film now moves closer to the $250 million domestic milestone, a rare achievement for an original independent production in the post-pandemic era.
Obsession opened in May with $17 million in North America before building strong momentum through positive audience response. Instead of slowing down after its debut, the film recorded four consecutive weekends of higher earnings than its opening weekend.
The story follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a hopeless romantic who makes a Faustian bargain to win the love of Nikki, portrayed by Inde Navarrette. Strong word-of-mouth and enthusiastic support from Generation Z audiences have driven the film’s box office performance.
Another independent horror hit, Backrooms, has also enjoyed strong success. Directed by Kane Parsons, the film has earned $347 million worldwide, highlighting growing demand for original horror films among younger cinema-goers.
