The viral YouTube series is coming to the big screen with horror powerhouse production companies A24, Atomic Monster, Chernin Entertainment, and 21 Laps set to produce a film adaptation of The Backrooms, according to Deadline.17-year-old Kane Parsons, the original creator behind the videos, is attached to direct. While details on the project remain under wraps, Roberto Patino is set to pen the film's screenplay.
Additional plot information on the upcoming horror film remains a mystery, but the original viral video centers on a young filmmaker who falls into another dimension, where he ends up trapped in an empty, dimly-lit office space full of mysterious otherworldly beings. Utilizing its '90s found footage aesthetic, the video became a viral hit with 44 million views and spawned into a fully-fledged YouTube series that continues drawing in audiences. With a strong premise that lends itself well to film, The Backrooms could offer viewers a terrifying journey that echos classic found-footage horror movies, such as The Blair Witch Project.
Acclaimed horror icon James Wan and Michael Clear from Atomic Monster will serve as producers on the film alongside 21 Laps' Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine. Alongside serving as the film's screenwriter, Patino will also be attached as a producer on the upcoming project, with Judson Scott and Chris White as executive producers. Alayna Glasthal will oversee the entire project, which will begin filming on an undetermined date. Additional information, such as casting, will likely be revealed as the film gears up for production in the near future.
More Viral Horror Sensations Making Waves at the Movies
This isn't the first time a viral horror sensation managed to find its way to the big screen. In 2018, Sony Pictures debuted the feature-length adaptation of Slender Man, based on the viral creepypasta that took the world by storm with several memes, urban legends, and video games. Alongside garnering several controversies, the film received negative reviews, with an 8% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 17% audience rating. Additionally, previous reports in 2019 stated that a film adaptation of the terrifying viral sensation Momo, based on the creepy sculpture by Keisuke Aisawa, was in the works from Orion Pictures with Roy Lee (It) attached to produce. However, additional details have yet to be revealed since then. Recently, Skinamarink made over 60 times its budget during its opening weekend. Now audiences will have a new urban legend to fear when The Backrooms eventually debuts in theaters.
With the film still in its early stages of development, no official release date for The Backrooms has been set yet. Check out the original viral video below.