Backrooms (2026) Review: A24’s Creepypasta Horror Finally Comes to Life
When Hollywood announces they are adapting a viral internet meme into a feature film, we usually brace for a disaster. Do you remember Slender Man? Exactly.
We try to forget it, too. But A24 just proved that the internet-to-screen pipeline isn’t entirely cursed. theaters on May 29, 2026, Backrooms takes the claustrophobic dread of empty office spaces and stretches it into an agonizing, beautiful nightmare. Directed by a 20-year-old wunderkind, this film will make you think twice before wandering down an empty hallway.
Backrooms is a visual masterpiece that translates the famous 4chan creepypasta into top-tier psychological horror. While the plot stretches slightly thin in the middle, staggering performances and an oppressive atmosphere make it a must-watch.
Quick read
- The Hype is Real: Kane Parsons successfully upgrades his YouTube found-footage lore for the big screen.
- Stellar Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve anchor the movie with grounded, heartbreaking performances.
- Visually Striking: The massive 30,000-square-foot practical set creates genuine, suffocating tension.
- Not a Jump-Scare Fest: Expect slow-burn dread rather than cheap monsters popping out of closets.
The Internet’s Biggest Nightmare Goes Hollywood
How did a blurry photo of a yellow room become a major studio release? Let’s rewind a bit. Back in 2019, an anonymous user posted a deeply unsettling picture on 4chan. It featured damp, yellow wallpaper, fluorescent lights, and ugly carpet. The caption claimed that if you “no-clip” out of reality, you end up in the Backrooms—an infinite maze of nothingness.
Fast forward to 2022. A 16-year-old kid named Kane Parsons uploaded a nine-minute video to YouTube called The Backrooms (Found Footage). He used 3D software to bring the creepypasta to life. That video racked up almost 80 million views.
Studios noticed. A24 scooped him up. James Wan—the modern godfather of horror (The Conjuring, Insidious) — signed on to produce alongside Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment. People were skeptical. Could a teenager really handle a multi-million dollar studio film? Mark Duplass, who co-stars in the movie, recently shut down those rumors on Instagram, confirming Parsons directed every inch of this movie himself. And boy, does it show.
What is the Plot of the Backrooms (2026) Movie?
If you worried the film would just be two hours of someone running away from a CGI wire-monster, take a breath. Writer Will Soodik crafted a deeply human narrative to anchor the madness.
The story follows Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a failed architect currently running a struggling furniture store. Clark is a bitter guy. He carries a heavy load of resentment. One day, while taking inventory in his store’s basement, he discovers a bizarre anomaly — a “null zone.” Stepping through it, he accidentally drops out of reality.
Suddenly, Clark is trapped inside a dimension of never-ending office spaces. When he disappears, his therapist, Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve), begins searching for him. Her investigation pulls her dangerously close to the very same dimensional rift.
This dual narrative works wonders. We bounce between Clark’s terrifying isolation and Mary’s desperate real-world search. It grounds the abstract horror in real emotional stakes.
Ejiofor and Reinsve Carry the Weight
You need serious acting chops to make acting opposite a blank yellow wall compelling. Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers a masterclass in slow-burn insanity. His descent isn’t just driven by fear; it is driven by his own internal failures. The Backrooms feed on his bitterness.
Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World) makes her horror debut here. She is a revelation. Her portrayal of Mary is layered, vulnerable, and fiercely determined. She acts as the perfect anchor, giving the audience a lifeline back to humanity while Clark loses his mind in the maze. Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell round out the supporting cast beautifully, adding distinct flavors to the unfolding mystery.
The Horror of Liminal Spaces Explained
Why is an empty office so terrifying? Think about waiting alone in a doctor’s office after everyone else has gone home. The silence feels heavy. The layout feels wrong.
That is called liminal horror. It preys on spaces meant for transition, not habitation. Backrooms taps into this universal anxiety perfectly.
Why Yellow Wallpaper is Terrifying
According to the A.V. Club’s recent review, the film acts as “suburban strip mall horror.” Parsons demystifies the spaces just enough to make them feel real. The production design by Danny Vermette is nothing short of incredible.
Those sickly yellow walls. The maddening hum of cheap fluorescent lights. The damp, musty carpet. Every detail from the original internet lore is preserved with terrifying accuracy. The Backrooms don’t just feel like a set. They feel alive. Like a predator, the architecture itself seems to breathe, watching Clark as he wanders aimlessly.
You won’t find traditional movie monsters lurking around every corner. Sure, there are entities here. But the true villain is the isolation. The movie asks a terrifying question: What happens when you are entirely disconnected from the world, left only with your own dark thoughts?
Sound, Score, and 30,000 Square Feet
Let’s talk logistics. To make this nightmare authentic, A24 didn’t just throw up a green screen. They built an actual 30,000-square-foot practical set in Vancouver. The maze was so complex that crew members reportedly got lost during filming.
That massive physical space translates beautifully on camera. Cinematographer Jeremy Cox captures the endless corridors with wide, lingering shots. He makes you search the shadows. Your eyes constantly dart around the screen, waiting for something to move.
Then there is the sound design. Oh man, the sound. It is arguably the most important character in the film. The oppressive buzzing of the lights burrows into your skull. The dead silence in between the hums makes your heart race. Parsons actually co-composed the score with Edo Van Breemen. The music is sparse, utilizing ambient drones that blend seamlessly with the environmental noise.
You forget where the score ends and the room begins.
Does the Movie Live Up to the YouTube Series?
Adapting a 10-minute web video into a 110-minute feature is tough. Pacing becomes your biggest enemy. Does Backrooms pull it off? Mostly.
The Good: A “Waking Nightmare”
Critics are already raving about the film’s atmosphere. Reviewers have called it a “liminal masterpiece” and a “waking nightmare.” The film manages to maintain the unsettling weirdness of its experimental internet origins while functioning as a mainstream studio release.
Parsons knows exactly how to build tension. He doesn’t hold your hand. He forces you to sit in the discomfort. The way he frames corners — always hinting at what might be hiding just out of view — shows a maturity well beyond his 20 years on this earth.
The Flaws: Stretched a Bit Thin?
Nothing is perfect. If the movie has a weakness, it lies in the second act. When you have an environment as static as empty office rooms, sustaining momentum for nearly two hours requires heavy narrative lifting.
Some critics argue the story gets a bit overwrought. As the AV Club noted, the film parcels out backstory a little too slowly at times, bordering on frustrating. Sometimes the ambiguity that made the 2019 creepypasta so chilling gets slightly lost when you try to apply traditional cinematic logic to it.
Do these flaws ruin the movie? Absolutely not. But if you walk into the theater expecting a fast-paced thriller like Smile or Talk to Me, you will be disappointed. This is an art-house panic attack. You have to meet it on its own terms.
Cultural Impact of the Backrooms
It is fascinating to look at what this movie represents for pop culture. Hollywood spent the last two decades mining old comic books, 80s nostalgia, and forgotten board games for content. Backrooms signals a shift. We are now entering the era of internet-native cinema.
Memes, creepypastas, and TikTok lore are the new comic books.
Kane Parsons represents a completely new breed of filmmaker. He didn’t climb the traditional Hollywood ladder. He didn’t go to NYU film school. He downloaded Blender, watched a bunch of software tutorials, and built a universe in his bedroom. The fact that his vision survived the studio system intact is a miracle. A24 deserves massive credit for handing the keys to the kid who built the car.
Financially, the gamble seems destined to pay off. Made for under $10 million, the movie is tracking to open around $20 million domestically. Audiences are hungry for something that feels original, even if that originality was born on a chaotic internet message board.
Should You See It?
Yes. Go see Backrooms on the biggest screen you can find.
More importantly, go see it with the best sound system possible. A24 has delivered one of the most unique, suffocating, and brilliant horror movies of 2026. It proves that internet culture can produce high art when put in the right hands.
Kane Parsons is no longer just a “YouTube kid.” He is a legitimate filmmaker. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve elevate the bizarre premise into a heartbreaking tragedy about resentment and loss.
Just do yourself a favor before you go to the theater. Don’t look too closely at the blank walls in your house. And whatever you do, don’t lean too hard against the drywall. You never know what’s waiting on the other side.
Are you brave enough to enter the maze? Grab your tickets for Backrooms this weekend, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Did you spot any hidden entities? Share your best theories with us.
