The Backrooms Movie Explained: How an Internet Creepypasta Became a 2026 Horror Phenomenon

In 2019, an anonymous user on 4chan posted a single photograph of an empty, carpeted room with yellow wallpaper and fluorescent lighting, asking others to share "disquieting images that just feel 'off.'" Few could have predicted that this simple image would spawn one of the most pervasive internet horror phenomena of the decade — and now, a major motion picture from A24. The "Backrooms" movie, directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons and released on May 29, 2026, represents the culmination of a seven-year journey from obscure creepypasta to cinematic event. Here's everything you need to know about how it all happened.

How a Single Photo Changed Internet Horror Forever

The Backrooms concept began on May 12, 2019, when an anonymous 4chan user posted a photograph of what appeared to be an endless, empty office space. Another user replied with a now-legendary description: "If you're not careful and you noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you'll end up in the Backrooms, where it's nothing but the stink of old moist carpet, the madness of mono-yellow, the endless background noise of fluorescent lights at maximum hum-buzz, and approximately six hundred million square miles of randomly segmented empty rooms to be trapped in. God save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you."

For years, the source of the image remained a mystery. Internet sleuths spent countless hours trying to trace its origin. In May 2024, a combined effort in a Backrooms-dedicated Discord community finally cracked the case. The image was traced to an archived webpage from March 2003 using the Wayback Machine. It turned out to be a photograph taken on June 12, 2002, during the renovation of a former furniture store at 807 Oregon Street in Oshkosh, Wisconsin — a location that would become a HobbyTown USA franchise. The original image, captioned "the East (Oval) room," documented extensive water damage repairs.

Timeline: From 4chan Post to A24 Blockbuster

The evolution of the Backrooms from a single image to a major motion picture followed a remarkable trajectory:

• May 2019: The original 4chan post and creepypasta description go viral.
• 2019-2021: The Backrooms fandom grows across Reddit, with users creating additional "levels" and "entities" — a collaborative writing project similar to the SCP Foundation.
• January 7, 2022: Then-16-year-old Kane Parsons uploads "The Backrooms (Found Footage)" to YouTube. Created using Blender and Adobe After Effects over the course of a month, the short film presents itself as a 1990s VHS tape of a filmmaker who accidentally enters the Backrooms.
• Early 2022: The video goes viral, amassing millions of views and being called "the scariest video on the Internet" by critics. It currently has over 78 million views.
• February 2023: A24 announces a feature film adaptation, with Parsons — now 17 — set to direct. The project is a joint production between A24, Chernin Entertainment, Atomic Monster (James Wan's company), and 21 Laps Entertainment (Shawn Levy's company).
• June 2025: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve are confirmed to lead the cast, with Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell joining in July.
• Summer 2025: Filming takes place in Vancouver on a $10 million budget. The production builds 30,000 square feet of physical sets — actual walkable rooms that some crew members reportedly got lost in.
• May 7, 2026: The film premieres at the Aero Theatre in Los Angeles.
• May 29, 2026: "Backrooms" is released nationwide by A24 to positive reviews.

The Bigger Picture: Why the Backrooms Phenomenon Matters

The Backrooms phenomenon represents something unique in horror history — a concept that was born, evolved, and reached mainstream consciousness entirely through the internet. Unlike traditional creepypastas that faded after their initial viral moment, the Backrooms endured because of its collaborative nature. "The lack of a canonical Backrooms made drawing a line between authentic storytelling and jokes difficult," noted ABC News in its coverage of the phenomenon.

At its core, the Backrooms taps into what experts call the "liminal space" aesthetic — images of eerily empty, familiar places that trigger an uncanny sense of recognition. The #liminalspaces hashtag has amassed nearly 100 million views on TikTok. "The Backrooms is scary because it invites you to interpret what's not shown," explained Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtin University. "The eerie feeling of familiarity helps draw fans together."

The film itself, rated at 110 minutes, follows furniture store owner Clark (Ejiofor) and his therapist Dr. Mary Kline (Reinsve) as they discover a dimension of seemingly endless liminal spaces accessed through the basement of the store. Early reviews praised Parsons' direction, with most critics noting that the film successfully translated the unsettling atmosphere of the web series to the big screen while expanding the narrative into a full character-driven story.

Where Things Stand Now: Critical Reception and Box Office

The "Backrooms" movie currently holds positive reviews from critics, who have praised Parsons for capturing the haunting, atmospheric quality of the original web series while delivering a compelling feature-length narrative. The film was produced for under $10 million and was projected to open with $20 million or more at the domestic box office, potentially making it one of A24's most commercially successful releases. At 20 years old, Parsons is the youngest director in A24's history — a remarkable achievement for a filmmaker who began creating the project as a teenager using free 3D software.

What Happens Next: The Future of the Backrooms

While no sequel has been officially announced, the success of the film and the vast mythology of the Backrooms universe — with its countless "levels" and "entities" created by the online community — provide ample material for future installments. Parsons' original web series also continues to attract new viewers, introducing a new generation to the liminal horror that began with a single photograph and a two-sentence story about what happens when you "noclip out of reality."

Key Takeaways: The Backrooms Story at a Glance

• The Backrooms started as a 2019 4chan post featuring a 2002 photo of a Wisconsin hobby shop renovation.
• Kane Parsons created a viral YouTube short at age 16 that redefined the concept for a new generation.
• A24 greenlit a film adaptation when Parsons was just 17, making him their youngest director ever.
• The film budget was $10 million, with 30,000 square feet of physical sets built for production.
• The Backrooms phenomenon is rooted in the "liminal space" aesthetic — eerily empty, familiar places that feel unsettlingly "off."
• The movie premiered May 29, 2026 to positive reviews, cementing the Backrooms as one of the most successful internet-to-film transitions in horror history.