A24 is moving forward with “The Backrooms,” a feature-length horror film based on the viral YouTube series by teenage creator Kane Parsons. The project is in collaboration with digital production company Pixels and marks Parsons’ theatrical directorial debut.
Parsons launched “The Backrooms” in 2022 at age 16. The short quickly gained traction for its analog horror style and depiction of eerie, liminal spaces. The original video has over 58 million views and helped define a new visual language for internet horror.
January 2025 release planned
The film completed production earlier this year with Parsons directing the project, working alongside A24, Chernin Entertainment and 21 Laps Entertainment. “The Backrooms” is scheduled for a theatrical release on January 17, 2025.
The script was written by Roberto Patino, known for “Westworld” and “DMZ.” The feature is expected to expand on the original concept, where a character becomes trapped in a sprawling maze of empty office spaces, fluorescent lights and disorienting architecture.
From YouTube to the big screen
“The Backrooms” continues a broader trend of digital-native creators crossing into mainstream entertainment. Parsons is one of the youngest directors to helm a major studio film. Pixels, the company co-producing the project, was founded by YouTuber Casey Neistat and focuses on bridging creators with long-form media.
A24’s involvement is part of its ongoing effort to work with unconventional voices. The studio has previously found success with horror films like “Hereditary,” “The Witch” and “Talk to Me.”
Parsons has largely stayed out of the spotlight during production, but interest in the film has remained strong. Online horror communities continue to discuss the project, praising the source material’s originality and tension. Many expect the theatrical release to preserve the same unsettling tone that made the original series stand out.
Image courtesy: Kane Parsons