The film 'Backrooms,' directed by 20-year-old YouTuber Kane Parsons and distributed by A24, grossed $81.4 million in North America and $118 million worldwide during its opening weekend in 2025. The debut set a record for the largest opening ever for a first-time director of an original film.
Parsons, known for his YouTube content, made his feature directorial debut with 'Backrooms,' a project produced by Kori Adelson, president of North Road Films, who brought the film to A24. Adelson said, "Young people want stories that feel authentic to them. They also want to go to theaters with their friends, so it’s on us to give them something they want to see."
In recent weeks, online speculation emerged—without concrete evidence—that Parsons was not the actual director of the film. Mark Duplass, an experienced filmmaker and star of 'Backrooms,' directly addressed the rumors on social media. Responding on X to a user who claimed "Parsons absolutely didn’t direct this movie," Duplass wrote: "Hmmm, with all due respect I don’t remember seeing you on set. When I was there, Kane was 100% in control. More so than many directors 3x his age." Duplass also posted a video on TikTok where he said he suspects he was cast because of his history mentoring young filmmakers, but added that Parsons "didn’t need any of us" and was "intensely prepared."
The success of 'Backrooms' coincides with increased youth engagement in theatrical releases. According to Cinema United, a trade organization representing more than 31,000 movie screens in the U.S., Gen Z theater attendance rose 25% in 2025.