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FILM'S $118M GLOBAL OPENING IS THE HIGHEST EVER FOR THE INDIE DISTRIBUTOR |
Hollywood has long moaned about the lost YouTube generation at the box office: How do we get the Gen Z set in? Sure, they’ll show up for a Marvel movie, but today’s 18-25 demo aren’t attending like they did in the 1980s.
Finally, arguably this year, Hollywood has been able to harness that crowd, making content that they’ve always wanted, to get them out of the house. A24's record opening of Kane Parsons' pic Backrooms ($81.4M domestic, $118M worldwide) is the pinnacle of that in a year that kicked off with YouTube star Markiplier’s self-distributed feature take of indie videogame Iron Lung ($17.8M opening, $40.8M domestic, $50M WW) and then ratcheted up with Curry Barker’s Obsession, which has become Focus Features’ highest-grossing movie stateside with $104.7M.
While Backrooms and Obsession arguably make a sweet double-feature this weekend, the two couldn’t be more different. Obsession is an original horror movie from Barker; however, he’s nurtured his previous films on YouTube. Backrooms is a powerful digital rabbit hole IP, and A24, in their marketing campaign, spoke to those deep backrooms of fans in Reddit. >>>Early Signs Of Success
Related:
Warner Bros’ Michael De Luca On Why ‘Backrooms’ & ‘Obsession’ Are Clicking: “These Filmmakers Are In A Dialogue With Their Audience”
Jason Blum & James Wan Talk ’70s Feeling Embodied By Young Filmmakers Coming Out Of YouTube Space, Making Blumhouse-Atomic Monster “The Disney Of Horror”
Mark Duplass Says ‘Obsession’ And ‘Backrooms’ Box Office Wins Offer A “Glimmer Of Hope” In “Fractured” Industry
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Deadline Exclusives & Originals
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For 'The Birds' - Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, one of the most recognizable horror titles in the history of cinema, is getting a remake in the form of a limited series. The high-profile package, which is being taken out to buyers, has Emmy winner Sarah Snook starring and Tom Spezialy writing. >>>Set In Alaska
'The Pitt's Emmy Plan - The Pitt is looking to do it again with its 2026 Emmy submissions that mirror HBO Max’s 2025 strategy, with Wyle up for Lead Actor In a Drama Series and all of his Season 2 series regular co-stars up for Supporting Actor/Actress In a Drama Series. >>>One Major Change
AI Intelligence From The Lot - AI on the Lot, which has grown from a half-day conference for 600 in 2023 to a two-day draw for nearly 2,500, delivered another dose of techno-optimism this year. Hollywood, however, still has reservations. >>>Key Takeaways
From 'Downton' To The WIld West - Joanne Froggatt, famed for MobLand and Downton Abbey, is in final talks to join Matt Dillon in The Magnificent Seven, the MGM+ TV western remake that begins filming on location in Calgary next week. >>>Playing A Quaker Leader
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Exclusive
Fred Hechinger has landed a key role opposite Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson in The Cackling of the Dodos, Netflix‘s new film directed by Jason Bateman.
Exclusive
Jon Tenney has been cast opposite Olivia Colman and Brie Larson in Cry Wolf, FX's upcoming limited series created by Sarah Treem.
Shalom Brune-Franklin and Jimmy O. Yang have landed roles in Netflix's new Vegas drama series from creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien, The Roman, which Oscar Isaac headlines and exec produces.
Baywatch continues to add original actors back into its new Fox continuation series with the addition of Michael Bergin and Kelly Packard. Bergin and Packard will play lifeguards Jack “J.D.” Darius and April Giminski, respectively.
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MORE NEWS
🖥️ The BBC’s triple-BAFTA nominated drama What It Feels Like for a Girl based on Paris Lees’ memoirs is heading to Prime Video in the States. The show launches on the Amazon streamer today to mark the start of Pride Month.
🥊 Programming on Scripps Local Media’s 54 broadcast stations across 36 Nielsen-designated market areas has gone dark on DirecTV. The third-largest operator of ABC affiliates reached an impasse with the pay-TV operator over (what else?) retransmission rates.
🎥 A entity called Intrinsic Entertainment Collaborative, ink barely dry on its certificate of incorporation, is making an ambitious run for Letterboxd, whose private equity owner is exploring a sale of the popular platform for indie film lovers.
🍒 Paramount+ has bought Wild Cherry, the spooky BBC series from Nicôle Lecky, one of the UK’s most exciting creatives.
🛑 YouTube political commentator Cenk Uygur and his nephew, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, have been blocked entry to the UK by the Home Office, meaning they will miss scheduled talks at SXSW London this week.
🎩 The head of comedy at the BBC, Jon Petrie, is leaving after five years to join Derry Girls producer Hat Trick Productions as Creative Director.
🚪KSI, one of the world’s most popular YouTubers, is exiting his collective The Sidemen after more than a decade.
🥅 Hockey drama Heated Rivalry dominated the Canadian Screen Awards on Sunday night. It finished with a total of 16 Screen Awards from 18 nominations – a record haul.
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OBITUARIES
🕯️ Marcia Lucas, who won an Oscar for editing the original Star Wars and scored a nom for American Graffiti, both directed by her then-husband George Lucas, and worked with Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, died May 27 of cancer in Rancho Mirage, CA. She was 80. 🕯️ Jay Daniel, the Emmy-winning executive producer of the hit 1980s and ’90s TV series Roseanne, Moonlighting and Cybil, among others, died Wednesday, May 27, in Los Angeles of a pneumonia-related illness. He was 82. 🕯️ Kelly Curtis, the actress sister of Jamie Lee Curtis who had roles in The Sentinel and Trading Places, has died. She was 69. 🕯️ Matt Brown, a member of the family featured in Discovery’s Alaskan Bush People, has died. He was 43. 🕯️ Ronald LaPread, the former bassist of the Commodores, has died. He was 75. 🕯️ 2026 Passings Gallery
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ON THE RADAR
Mon - SXSW London begins
Tue - CA primary election; At SXSW London: Deadline Reality TV Summit UK, Live Festival Studio
Wed - 25th Tribeca Festival begins; NBA Finals tip off
Fri - Cape Fear debuts
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Generational Talent - Anthony Davis, Yvette Nicole Brown, Noah Wyle and Sara Wyle attend the MPTF NextGen Summer Party.
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