Obsession was initially slated to release on PVOD platforms this week, on June 2. However, NBCU recently removed the digital release from its schedule, instead opting to extend the low-budget horror darling’s time in theaters.
The digital delay makes complete sense when you look at the numbers. The film was infamously produced on a budget of just $750,000. Over its opening weekend in North America, it grossed over $17.2 million, breaking even with relative ease.
What’s truly impressive, however, is how the film has continued to increase its box office performance each weekend since its release. Just this past weekend, the film earned another $24.5 million at the domestic box office, a 10% increase over the previous weekend, placing it in the top 10 highest-grossing movies in the U.S. this year. It currently stands at over $148 million worldwide.
Obsession actually premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September. The monkey’s paw film continued to pick up buzz ahead of its broader theatrical release with harrowing clips that quickly made the rounds on social media. Aside from the amount of flowers being handed to the film’s director, 26-year-old YouTuber and comedian Curry Barker, Obsession has been a significant breakout moment for its two starring leads, Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston.
It’s also not the only horror movie making waves at the box office right now. Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, inspired by a legacy of creepy pastas, just achieved distributor A24’s biggest opening weekend of all time.
These accomplishments are all the more significant when compared to the rather weak box office performance of a recent big-budget franchise release, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. As such, the takeaway here is not just that more people are going to the theaters, but that people are going to the theaters for a new generation of film-making. Backrooms, for example, garnered an audience of predominantly people under age 35, with the majority between 18 and 25.
What lesson will studios take from these success stories? Sure, horror is definitely a trendy genre at the moment, but these also happen to be films from are two very young directors that are specifically resonating with younger audiences. Instead of trying to replicate the specific appeal of Obsession or Backrooms, we can only hope studios are willing to take more bold risks by investing in both fresh concepts and young creators.
So, when will Obsession be streaming?
NBCU has not reported a specific digital release date to replace the June 2 plan. Some reports are indicating the movie will now be subject to a 45-day theatrical window, which would put the film’s digital release somewhere around June 30. On the streaming side, the movie will most likely be coming to Peacock later this year.
Amazon has also quietly listed a 4K edition of Obsession with a release date of July 14. While details are slim (there’s not even an image yet), this may include an “Unrated version" that has been rumored to be a part of the eventual digital release.
Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
