Curry Barker, a Gen Z filmmaker, is making waves with his debut film, Obsession. In just under two weeks, the horror flick has already earned over $68 million in North America, despite having a small budget of $750,000.
This success is a big surprise for many. During the Memorial Day weekend, Obsession jumped to $23.9 million, a remarkable 39.4% increase from its opening weekend of $17.2 million. This surge is unprecedented for films in over 2,500 theaters outside the holiday season.
According to Paul Dergarabedian, a box office analyst, this performance is unbelievable. “I’ve been analyzing box office trends for 33 years, and I’ve never seen a film take such a leap,” he said. He emphasized that this kind of growth is rare in modern cinema.
Lisa Bunnell, head of distribution at Focus Features, is equally amazed. She feels this film is reaching new levels of success. “This behavior is outrageous,” she commented, noting the excitement around the film’s performance.
A significant contributor to its success is its audience. A whopping 75% of moviegoers are aged 18 to 34, largely made up of Gen Z and young Millennials. This demographic, used to digital screens, craves the shared experience that theaters offer, especially after the restrictions of the pandemic.
Obsession opened with a bang, debuting above expectations and quickly rising to the top of the box office. After its first Monday, it held the number one spot until Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu debuted.
It also outperformed other titles over the long holiday weekend. Initially expected to climb 30% from the previous weekend, it instead achieved an impressive 39.3% increase. The movie even earned $8 million on Memorial Day, contributing to a total domestic gross nearing $70 million.
“This is already one of our top performers,” Bunnell says. Notably, Focus has had hits like Nosferatu, a gothic horror film, and Downton Abbey, proving its strong track record in the industry.
The film gained attention early on, with Focus winning the rights for $15 million after a bidding war at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival. They outbid other well-regarded distributors like A24 and Neon.
Bunnell started promoting Obsession months before its release. Partnerships with theaters like Alamo Drafthouse and AMC helped drum up interest. AMC even created an exclusive popcorn bucket for the film, while Alamo featured it prominently in their marketing.
The film’s plot revolves around a young man named Bear who uses a mysterious item for his wish, only to face terrifying consequences. Critics have praised it, with a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
An interesting fact: Obsession will be the first in Focus’s history to increase its theater count in its third weekend, expanding to 2,755 theaters.
The media has drawn comparisons between Obsession and last July’s Sound of Freedom, which also saw a significant second-weekend spike. Film experts, however, note the distribution models differ significantly between the two.
Looking ahead, Barker is already working on his next project, a horror-comedy titled Anything But Ghosts, in collaboration with Blumhouse-Atomic Monster.
Barker’s journey began with his YouTube channel, That’s a Bad Idea, and his found-footage film Milk & Serial. He’s also gearing up for a new take on Texas Chainsaw Massacre, showcasing his growing influence in the industry.
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