The Backrooms Shatters Box Office Records While Star Wars Struggles

The Backrooms had an incredible opening weekend at the domestic box office, setting new records for A24. In contrast, Disney’s Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is facing challenges in its second weekend, failing to even secure the second highest-grossing spot.

Reports indicate that The Backrooms has struck a chord with younger viewers, raking in $81.4 million domestically during its three-day opening. This marks the highest opening weekend ever for an A24 film and makes 20-year-old director Kane the youngest filmmaker to top the box office. It’s noteworthy that The Backrooms outperformed other successful films like Project Hail Mary and The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Critics have praised The Backrooms, with one reviewer noting that in a landscape filled with spectacle-driven films, it manages to leave a lasting impact, evoking lingering chills and anxieties.

Overall, it’s been a strong weekend for horror, with the low-budget indie film Obsession coming in as the second-highest-grossing movie of the weekend at $26.4 million. This success is particularly surprising given the underwhelming performance of The Mandalorian and Grogu, which earned $25 million domestically this weekend—a staggering 69% drop from its opening weekend, a disappointing result for such a well-known franchise.

Data suggests that younger audiences are gravitating towards fresh, horror-centric films like The Backrooms and Obsession, rather than the more conventional sci-fi offerings of the latest Star Wars installment. There’s a real possibility that The Mandalorian and Grogu could end up being the lowest-grossing Disney Star Wars film, but we’ll need to wait until its theatrical run concludes to confirm that.

As for The Backrooms, it’s expected to remain in theaters for a while before eventually making its way to streaming, likely on HBO Max.