Kane Parsons Officially Set to Direct ‘Backrooms 2’ for A24

Horror enthusiasts have been buzzing all summer about a $10 million passion project that unexpectedly became one of the year’s biggest theatrical hits. What began as a chilling YouTube series created by a teenager has now evolved into a full-fledged franchise, and it seems its creator is eager to capitalize on that success.

‘Backrooms‘ emerged as a certified sensation for A24 following its May release, raking in an impressive $81 million during its opening weekend and concluding its run with nearly $394 million globally against its modest budget, as reported by World of Reel. The film also achieved an 87% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, solidifying its status as both a critical and commercial triumph, according to Screen Rant.

Now, according to a recent report, Kane Parsons has officially signed on to direct ‘Backrooms 2′ for A24, with an official announcement expected soon, as per an exclusive report from Dread Central. The outlet notes that the sequel will be Parsons’ next endeavor, indicating he’s diving right back into the universe he created instead of pursuing other projects first.

That “other project” is also noteworthy. Parsons has reportedly been working on an unrelated original film alongside ‘Longlegs’ filmmaker Osgood Perkins, who mentored him through ‘Backrooms’ and contributed to its screenplay. However, that project appears to have been set aside for now, according to World of Reel.

Parsons’ ascent has been remarkably swift. He was just 16 when he uploaded ‘The Backrooms (Found Footage)’ to YouTube in 2022, expanding on internet lore with his own analog horror series. By the age of 19, A24 had greenlit the feature film adaptation, making him the youngest director in the studio’s history at that time, according to Variety.

The journey to the big screen also involved some fortunate turns in Hollywood. Executive producer Chris White discovered Parsons’ videos after his teenage son introduced them to him, eventually bringing the project to James Wan and Michael Clear at Atomic Monster before A24 acquired the rights, as noted by Dread Central.

‘Backrooms’ featured a talented cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Avan Jogia. The film follows individuals trapped in the Backrooms, a vast alternate dimension filled with eerily familiar yet unsettling spaces, according to World of Reel. Its ambiguous ending left numerous plot threads unresolved, including the fates of Reinsve’s Dr. Mary Kline and Ejiofor’s “Pirate Clark,” setting the stage for various potential directions a sequel could explore, as stated by Screen Rant.

Parsons has been open about his aspirations for the franchise from the beginning, expressing to Variety before the first film’s release that ‘Backrooms’ was always intended to be more than just a single movie. That vision now seems to be materializing significantly, especially considering the intense interest from studios vying for his talent. A recent report from Puck indicated that A24 had proposed its most lucrative filmmaker deal ever to retain Parsons, even as Warner Bros., HBO, NBCUniversal, and Sony reportedly made competing offers, according to The Playlist.

For the moment, it appears that ‘Backrooms 2’ is precisely where Parsons wants to focus, and A24 is clearly keen on keeping its most surprising breakout talent close. With an official announcement reportedly on the way, fans of the franchise won’t have to wait long to discover just how much larger this mythology is set to expand.

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