A24 has today debuted the first teaser for Backrooms, an upcoming sci-fi horror film marking the feature directorial debut of British-American YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Kane Parsons. Penned by Will Soodik, the film is inspired by the long-running urban legend and creepypasta phenomenon that Parsons previously adapted into his viral YouTube series.
Starring Academy Award nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, alongside Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell, the film remains shrouded in mystery. All we’re told is this: when a therapist’s patient vanishes into a dimension beyond reality, she follows him into the unknown … and whatever is waiting there.
The project builds on the viral success of Parsons’ breakout short, The Backrooms (Found Footage), which debuted in January 2022 and redefined internet-era horror for a new generation. Parsons first began experimenting with digital tools at an early age; first creating game environments in LittleBigPlanet, then teaching himself Adobe After Effects and later Blender, which he has described as pivotal to his creative evolution.
After launching a YouTube channel in 2013 with gaming and meme content, he gradually pivoted to ambitious, VFX-driven shorts that blended filmmaking and original music, ultimately paving the way for his transition to the big screen.
Backrooms will be released in theaters on May 29.
