Psychological horror film Obsession has become one of the most profitable movies of all time, earning over $148 million (£109.9 million) at the box office on a budget of just $750,000 (£557,000). The film, released on May 15, has made back nearly 200 times its original production budget after its third weekend in cinemas.
Written, directed and edited by 26-year-old YouTuber Curry Barker in his theatrical debut, Obsession has seen its box office earnings increase week on week, defying the usual decline. The film earned more in its third weekend than its second, and more in its second than its first, driven by word-of-mouth popularity and excellent reviews.
Critics have described the film as 'wildly entertaining' and 'wickedly clever'. It is now projected to earn as much as $250 million (£185.6 million) before its theatrical run ends, which would see it earn around 333 times its budget.
Obsession follows hopeless romantic Bear (Michael Johnston), who buys a supernatural toy that grants his wish for friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) to fall in love with him. He soon discovers that asking for someone to love you more than anyone in the world comes at a sinister price.
Actor Mark Duplass, who appears in the horror film Backrooms, said the success of both Obsession and Backrooms offers a 'glimmer of hope' for Hollywood, as online content creators find box office success despite industry struggles.
