Just when fans thought a Backrooms sequel was inevitable, director Kane Parsons is pulling the plug on the hype. The 20-year-old filmmaker, whose debut shattered box office records for A24, has flatly denied recent reports that he was hunting for a screenwriting partner to develop a follow-up. In fact, he's calling those rumors nothing short of a 'hallucination.'
Speaking on The Town with Matt Belloni podcast, Parsons was asked directly about the buzz that he was seeking a collaborator for a sequel. His response was blunt: 'I'm not sure where that got out.' He added, 'It seems more like a hallucination.' That's a far cry from the confident sequel chatter that followed the film's historic opening weekend.
A Record-Breaking Debut
Backrooms hit theaters on May 29, 2026, and immediately made history. The sci-fi horror film, adapted from Parsons' own YouTube web series that began in January 2022, grossed $38.4 million on its opening day alone. By the end of its first weekend, it had earned $81.5 million domestically and $118 million worldwide, making it A24's biggest opening ever. Parsons also became the youngest director to top the American box office, a feat that places him among other prodigies behind the camera.
The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark, a furniture store owner and failed architect, alongside Renate Reinsve as his therapist, Dr. Mary Kline. Together, they discover a dimension of endless, liminal yellow spaces accessible through the store's basement. Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell round out the cast. The psychological horror has earned a Certified Fresh 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What's Next for the Backrooms Universe?
Despite the sequel denial, Parsons hasn't ruled out continuing the story—just not in the way fans might expect. In past interviews, he's expressed a strong preference for a television series rather than a movie sequel. 'That would be my dream scenario,' he said, explaining that a TV format would be 'the most practical way to narratively get what you want' from the story. He's previously noted that he expected 'a much slower road to get to where things are now,' suggesting that any continuation is still a long way off.
For those eager to dive deeper into the film's mind-bending conclusion, our ending explained breaks down what happens when you face your demons. And for now, Backrooms is still playing in theaters, so there's plenty of time to catch the phenomenon on the big screen.
As for the sequel rumors? Consider them officially debunked. But with a universe this rich, don't be surprised if Parsons eventually finds a way back—just on his own terms.
