The Origins of the Backrooms Phenomenon
What began as a single unsettling photograph on a 4chan message board in 2019 has now become one of the year’s most anticipated horror films. The image, depicting a vacant shop space in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with fluorescent lighting and sickly yellow wallpaper, sparked a viral creepypasta movement. The Backrooms mythos expanded through fan fiction, creating a universe of liminal spaces and entities. Now, director Kane Parsons, just 20 years old, has brought this digital nightmare to the big screen with an A24 production.
A Unique Filmmaking Journey
Parsons, a self-taught animator from Petaluma, California, first encountered the Backrooms image in eighth grade. During the pandemic, he taught himself Blender, an open-source 3D modeling software, and created a short found-footage horror video that amassed 20 million views in two weeks. This success led to a feature film deal, despite Parsons having never made a feature before. The set was a 30,000-square-foot labyrinth of corridors, designed to disorient actors and crew alike.
Star-Studded Cast and Psychological Depth
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Clark, a failed architect who discovers a portal to the Backrooms. Renate Reinsve portrays his therapist, Mary, who confronts her own architectural trauma. Both actors praised Parsons’ vision and clarity. Ejiofor noted the psychological resonance: “How do I reshape events? Do I create my own sort of backrooms?” Reinsve added, “I like how the film circles around psychology and how you can get lost in your own patterns.”
From YouTube to Cinema
Parsons represents a new wave of filmmakers emerging from online platforms. His generation consumes stories across media seamlessly. While some question whether this signals the death of cinema, Parsons embraces the medium: “I deeply enjoy the cinema experience.” The film explores themes of memory, repetition, and societal malaise, with the Backrooms serving as a metaphor for the homogenization of modern life. “We’re drowning in information that feels meaningless,” Parsons explains.
A New Voice in Horror
Despite his youth, Parsons commands respect from seasoned actors. Ejiofor remarks, “You can have such strong ideas and such clarity of thought when you’re young.” The film’s ending remains open, hinting at further exploration. As Parsons says, “There’s a lot more space to explore there.” Backrooms is set for release on May 29, offering a fresh and terrifying cinematic experience.
