Hollywood Is Searching Reddit for the Next Big Movie Idea After ‘Backrooms’ Success

Hollywood has long been on the lookout for the next big idea, but studios are now turning to a platform once seen merely as an online discussion forum: Reddit.

This platform has emerged as an unexpected source of movie concepts, characters, and even fresh creative talent. A prime example is ‘Backrooms,’ a peculiar internet concept that began as a simple post before evolving into a major A24 film that grossed $118 million globally.

Before hitting theaters, ‘Backrooms’ thrived within Reddit communities where fans crafted theories, added layers, and expanded the fictional universe. The subreddit r/backrooms became a hub for users to develop the narrative and construct an entire mythology around these enigmatic spaces.

Jim Squires, Reddit’s chief marketing officer, shared with The Hollywood Reporter that the community significantly contributed to transforming a simple idea into something grander. “It started back in 2019, and it was where people were coming together to really take this simple concept into all these discussions and the lore-building that happened in there,” Squires stated.

The concept eventually caught the eye of filmmaker Kane Parsons, known online as Kane Pixels. He created a successful YouTube series based on ‘Backrooms,’ which played a pivotal role in turning the internet idea into a feature film.

Now, Hollywood executives and talent agencies are paying closer attention to Reddit communities, believing they can uncover the next major franchise or filmmaker before anyone else does.

A moderator from the r/movies subreddit, who spoke with The Hollywood Reporter under the username SanderSo47, noted that Reddit operates differently from traditional fan spaces, as users actively contribute to idea development. “Users not only witness the concepts, but they also help contribute with new ideas. There’s a lot of material to explore. It’s just about finding the right talent,” the moderator explained.

Reddit is not just a source for movie ideas; it has also become a platform for studios to gauge audience reactions and understand fan desires. Squires described the platform as “a real-time IP incubator of sorts,” where communities can form around stories and establish strong fan connections even before a project is in the works.

One notable example is the horror subreddit r/nosleep, where writers share original scary tales. Some of these stories have already garnered Hollywood interest. A Reddit story titled “I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl” is currently being developed into a film produced by and starring Sydney Sweeney.

Entertainment content has also become a significant aspect of Reddit’s daily activity. According to the company, entertainment-related posts garnered hundreds of billions of views over the past year. The platform has evolved into a space where studios can directly engage with audiences through events like AMAs, where filmmakers and actors respond to fan inquiries.

Squires emphasized that successful engagement hinges on authenticity. “I always advise brands, do exclusive AMAs [ask me anything Q&As] that people might be interested in — that always fosters and brings true fans out,” he remarked.

Kane Parsons also returned to Reddit during the release of ‘Backrooms’ for an AMA session that attracted over 1,400 comments. For many fans, it was a full-circle moment: a creator who began online was now discussing a major Hollywood film based on that very concept.

According to SanderSo47, the rise of ‘Backrooms’ illustrates why studios are increasingly monitoring online communities. “They see what’s popular, and they want some of that,” he noted. The success of Parsons’ project demonstrated that original ideas can originate from anywhere, and Reddit may become one of Hollywood’s most significant sources for discovering them.

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