Things have been going scarily well for 26-year-old film-maker Curry Barker. The past 18 months have seen him level up from lo-fi YouTube comedy skits to an $800 horror short that went viral to a breakout feature picked up for $15m to being handed the reins of one of the most legendary franchises in Hollywood. It’s almost too good to be true.
Obsession: A Wish Gone Wrong
Fittingly, Barker’s big-screen debut Obsession, out this week, is all about what happens when a wish gets granted. The film, which premiered at last year’s Toronto festival, currently rests at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, the best-reviewed horror of the year so far. Made for less than $1m, it’s tracking to make a great deal more.
Partly inspired by a Simpsons episode based on the horror short story The Monkey’s Paw, Obsession is a conceptually classic yet grounded fable. Bear, played by Michael Johnston, has feelings for his co-worker Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette. When his courage fizzles, he uses a mysterious “one-wish willow” and wishes: “I wish Nikki Freeman loved me more than anyone in the entire world.” To his shock and joy, it comes true—but the twisted reality of that love becomes a nightmare.
Challenges with Censors and Ratings
Barker ran into trouble with the censors, his film initially receiving an NC-17 rating in the US. A horribly effective head-smashing scene needed fewer smashes to get an R rating. “That was definitely a scary moment for me as a director,” he says. “Especially as I had just watched the movie in Toronto with a crowd that really reacted to that scene. Hearing the news that I might have to cut it down was quite devastating at first. But we cut it down and I feel like the integrity of the scene is still there.”
Gender Dynamics and ‘Incel Horror’
The violence is jolting, but the gender dynamic at the film’s centre is what really gives nightmares. Bear is an on-paper nice guy, but the reality of his wish turns him into an aggressor, trapping Nikki in a non-consensual relationship. The term “incel horror” has been used online. Barker admits, “I didn’t think of it that way when I wrote it. He just makes some bad decisions but I think it starts from a really innocent place. Embarrassingly, I wasn’t even familiar with the term incel until someone brought it up to me.”
Directing Stars and Next Projects
Barker recently finished production on his follow-up, darkly comedic thriller Anything But Ghosts, starring Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard. “I was really scared at first,” he says. “I remember telling my dad that I was nervous to direct these stars. He said that you’re going to disappoint them if you don’t direct them. That really resonated with me.” Both Paul and Howard proved easy to work with, showing no ego.
His next project, a new take on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, has sparked much conversation. Barker is “so excited” but already learning the hard way about passionate fans. “I opened my mouth a lot about what I’m planning on doing but I haven’t even written the script yet. People will latch on to anything you say and turn it against you.” He is now trying to keep his head down, “soft prepping” by rewatching all nine films and avoiding online discussion.
A New Generation of Horror Filmmakers
Barker is among a new generation of young horror film-makers with online origins. His film releases just two weeks before Backrooms from 20-year-old Kane Parsons and four months after Iron Lung from Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach. “Everyone’s very welcoming,” he says. “I mean, at least they are to my face. I never even thought that people might feel threatened by us.” For his Directors Guild of America application, he got signatures from Osgood Perkins, Zach Cregger, and Ari Aster, who has been “really supportive.”
Views on AI and Theatres
On AI, Barker is clear: “I’m scared of AI for sure. I don’t think it’s going to replace us as quickly as people think it is.” He believes theatres will stick around, especially as gen Z show strong moviegoing habits. “We’re getting sick of the phones. The movie theatre is such an escape for me.”
Obsession is out in Australian cinemas on 14 May and in the US and UK on 15 May.
