The low-budget horror film 'Obsession' has defied expectations, surpassing the latest Star Wars movie in box office earnings and outperforming 'Avengers: Endgame' in weekday grosses, fueled by intense cultural buzz and a unique audience experience.
The independently produced horror film 'Obsession', with an actual budget of $750,000 (or $15m acquisition cost), has become a surprise box office hit, officially passing the latest Star Wars movie and grossing over $165m in the US alone. Its success is marked by astonishing weekend-to-weekend strength and powerhouse weekday grosses, averaging over $4m on weekdays even a month into its run, a figure double that of 'Avengers: Endgame' at a similar point. This intimate, gruesome horror about a meek twentysomething, Bear, whose wish for devotion accidentally curses his crush, Nikki, with unnerving possession, has found significant cultural cachet in the current cinematic landscape. The article highlights the film's ability to draw large, engaged crowds on typically slow nights, like a nearly full Thursday showing in Times Square, indicating its event status. Audience reactions, including laughter, discomfort, and post-screening discussions, underscore its impact. Viewers cited strong buzz from friends and online discourse, including TikTok clips, as motivators for seeing the film in theaters. The movie's blend of relatable relationship 'craziness' and a 'monkey's paw' narrative, coupled with intentional ambiguity regarding character motivations, makes it a compelling social conversation piece. Its success also points to a demand for films exploring the twentysomething experience, attracting a young demographic and creating a rare impulse for audiences to seek out a movie that challenges them.
