Backrooms

Backrooms brings the viral internet creepypasta to the big screen, transforming a simple childhood trauma into a sprawling, surreal nightmare. The film follows a group of friends drawn back to a furniture showroom where a bizarre anomaly appears in the basement, triggering a cascade of fragmented memories and an overwhelming sense of dread. At its core, this is a story about unresolved guilt and the monsters that live in our heads.

Directed by Kane Parsons, who co-wrote the script with Will Soodik, the film was shot primarily in Vancouver with additional scenes in Los Angeles. Parsons, known for his early online work on the Backrooms mythos, brings an intimate understanding of the source material. The budget of $10 million allowed for a mix of practical sets and subtle visual effects to create the iconic yellow, sterile hallways. The score, composed by Edo van Breemen and Parsons, uses ambient electronics and dissonant tones to build an oppressive atmosphere.

The cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark, Renate Reinsve as Mary, and Mark Duplass as Phil, with Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, and Avan Jogia rounding out the ensemble. The film premiered on May 27, 2026, and went on to gross over $226 million worldwide, becoming a surprise hit that sparked renewed interest in analog horror and liminal space fiction.[edit]

A group of young adults, still haunted by a childhood tragedy, reunite at a furniture showroom that holds dark memories. Alex, still grappling with the disappearance of his younger sister Mary years ago, is joined by his friends Chloe, Ben, and Marcus. When a strange glitch-like anomaly appears in the basement, it triggers a shared sense of unease and a desperate hope that they might finally find answers.

Driven by guilt and a need for closure, Alex convinces the others to investigate the anomaly. As they step through the shimmering distortion, they find themselves in a seemingly endless maze of yellow, fluorescent-lit corridors. The Backrooms, as they come to call it, is a liminal dimension of empty rooms, damp carpet, and a constant, maddening hum. The group quickly realizes they are not alone. Strange entities, born from their own fears and traumas, begin to stalk them, exploiting their psychological vulnerabilities.

The friends become separated, each facing personalized horrors. Chloe, the pragmatic one, is confronted by her fear of failure. Ben, already anxious and superstitious, is tormented by visions of his own regrets. Marcus, the skeptic, is forced to accept the impossible. Alex, meanwhile, is drawn deeper into the labyrinth, guided by fleeting glimpses of a figure that resembles his lost sister. The group must navigate this nonsensical geography, decipher cryptic clues left by previous victims, and find a way to reunite before the entities pick them off one by one.

Their journey takes them through different sections of the Backrooms, each more surreal than the last. They encounter abandoned offices, empty swimming pools, and vast, dark rooms filled with the sound of whispers. Time seems to behave strangely, and their memories begin to blur with the environment. The line between reality and nightmare becomes increasingly thin as they struggle to hold onto their sanity and their hope of escape.

As they search for an exit, they uncover clues suggesting that the Backrooms is not just a random dimension but a manifestation of collective trauma, specifically tied to unresolved childhood events. They realize that the entities are not just hunting them; they are feeding on their fear and guilt. The group must confront their own inner demons to survive, but the deeper they go, the more they suspect that the Backrooms has a purpose, and that Mary's disappearance might be the key to understanding it all.[edit]