The new horror movie Backrooms hit theaters on May 29, 2026, and people cannot stop talking about its creepy, endless yellow rooms. Director Kane Parsons, who is only 20 years old, turned his popular YouTube series into a full-length film for A24. The movie made $81.5 million in its opening weekend in North America, breaking records for the studio.
The film follows a furniture store owner named Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his therapist Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve). They find a strange door that leads to a different dimension filled with empty, confusing spaces. What makes the movie so effective is that most of it was built with real sets, not computer effects. The crew created over 27,000 square feet (more than 2,500 square meters) of actual hallways and rooms for actors to walk through.
The 2400 Motel in East Vancouver Takes Center Stage
One of the most important real locations in Backrooms is the 2400 Motel in East Vancouver. This old motel has been used in many other shows and movies before, including The X-Files, Smallville, and Yellowjackets.
The production team chose this motel because it has a่ๆง feel that fits the movie’s strange and empty atmosphere. When you watch the film, look for scenes that take place in a motel setting. Those were shot at this actual Vancouver building. The crew filmed there during July and August 2025 under the fake working title Effigy.
Locals in Vancouver have also noticed blue tape doorframes appearing on buildings and bridges around the city. These were put up to promote the movie before its release. They look like outlines of doors and make people feel like they could walk into the Backrooms themselves.
The Giant Indoor Set That Confused the Crew
Parsons wanted the movie to feel real, so he asked the production team to build a massive set instead of using green screens. They created over 2,700 square meters of connected rooms, hallways, and empty offices. The set was so large and confusing that even crew members got lost while working.
During a talk at CCXP Mexico, Parsons explained how he designed the space. He said there is a strict logic to how the Backrooms are built. The walls, lights, and room layouts follow specific patterns that tell a story. Some rooms repeat over and over, which makes viewers feel lost without understanding why.
“There is a very specific language that I had a few years to really refine and master. There are definitely architectural trends throughout the film that you can follow. And they tell stories. There are places being replicated repeatedly. And there is a lot that you do not notice the first time you watch.” – Kane Parsons
One of the main shooting locations was an old furniture store in Coquitlam, a city near Vancouver. The production team turned this empty building into the main set for the movie. Using a real store helped make the movie feel more grounded before things get strange.
How the Creepypasta Origins Shaped the Look
The Backrooms story started online in 2019 when someone posted a strange photo of an empty yellow room on 4chan. People began writing their own stories about this “endless office space” where you could get trapped forever. Parsons made his first YouTube video about the Backrooms in 2022 using free software called Blender. Those videos got over 200 million views combined.
An executive at A24 said their child made them watch Parsons’ videos, which led to the movie deal. The studio gave Parsons a $10 million budget to make the film. That is still a small amount for a Hollywood movie, but much bigger than what he had to work with before.
The original viral photo that started everything was likely taken at an old furniture and hobby store in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. That store has since become a famous place for fans of the Backrooms story. In Parsons’ original YouTube series, the story takes place in the Santa Clara Valley area of California.
A Star-Studded Cast and Surprising Producers
Even though the movie is about empty spaces, it has a very full cast of famous actors. Chiwetel Ejiofor, known for 12 Years a Slave and Doctor Strange, plays the lead role of Clark. Renate Reinsve, who starred in the award-winning movie Sentimental Value, plays the therapist Dr. Mary Kline. Mark Duplass, an Emmy winner, also appears in the film.
The list of producers is just as impressive. James Wan, who made The Conjuring and Saw, helped produce the movie. Shawn Levy, who directed Deadpool & Wolverine and produced Stranger Things, also signed on as a producer.
Duplass recently shared his thoughts about working with the young director. He said Parsons was fully in charge on set and knew exactly what he wanted. Duplass wrote on X that Parsons was more prepared than many directors three times his age.
The Movie’s Success and What Fans Are Saying
Backrooms is now the biggest opening weekend in A24’s 18-year history. The previous record holder was Civil War with $25.5 million in 2024. Parsons’ movie more than tripled that number. It also became the biggest debut for an original horror film and for any non-franchise movie.
The movie has a Certified Fresh score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics and audiences both praised how the film uses practical sets instead of computers to create fear. Many people have said the movie reminds them of older horror films that felt more real because the actors were actually in the spaces.
The film has also made $118 million worldwide so far. It has not yet been released in Indian cinemas, but fans there are waiting for news about when they can see it.
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A Sequel Is Already Being Discussed
Because the movie made so much money, talks about a second film have already started. Deadline reported that Parsons is looking for a screenwriter to work with him on Backrooms 2. His contract for more movies in this world is with A24.
The Backrooms universe is very large. Parsons has spent years building rules for how this strange dimension works. There are different levels, creatures, and ways to get in and out. A sequel could explore many new areas that the first movie did not have time to show.
For now, fans can still see Backrooms in theaters around the world. The movie continues to draw large crowds, and many people are watching it more than once to catch all the hidden details in the sets.
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