Rising filmmaker Kane Parsons is transforming his viral online horror concept into a full-scale cinematic experience with the upcoming film Backrooms. Backed by A24, the project marks Parsons as the studio’s youngest feature director, with the movie set to hit theaters on May 29, 2026.
Originally launched as a YouTube series in 2022, the Backrooms concept quickly gained attention for its eerie depiction of endless yellow rooms and unsettling liminal spaces. The film adaptation expands on this idea, focusing more deeply on character-driven storytelling. Actress Renate Reinsve plays a therapist searching for a missing patient trapped in a strange alternate dimension, alongside a cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell.
Speaking at CCXP Mexico, Parsons explained that the film explores themes of isolation and emotional disconnection, presenting a world where characters often appear alone or in small groups. The story builds on the unsettling atmosphere of the original series while offering a more personal and psychological perspective.
To bring the vision to life, Parsons continued using Blender, the same tool he taught himself as a teenager. The production team translated digital designs into physical sets, constructing a massive 30000 square foot maze to replicate the Backrooms environment. Extensive testing was carried out, including dozens of wallpaper variations, to ensure visual consistency with the original series.
The scale of the set created an immersive experience, with cast and crew reportedly getting disoriented within the labyrinth-like structure. Parsons described the environment as intentionally grounded rather than surreal, maintaining a logical spatial layout that gradually becomes overwhelming rather than constantly shifting.
The film also reflects deeper psychological ideas, drawing on themes of sensory deprivation and human perception. Parsons noted that the unsettling nature of the Backrooms comes from how the mind reacts to isolation, often amplifying patterns and creating meaning in otherwise empty spaces.
With producers including James Wan, Shawn Levy and Osgood Perkins, Backrooms is shaping up to be a unique blend of internet culture and cinematic horror, bringing a widely recognized digital phenomenon to the big screen.
