Since the late 1970s, Hollywood has been trapped in a never-ending loop of reheated storylines and infinitely long franchises. Movie-goers have seen the same studios, same directors, and same actors used time and time again. Because of this, the world is seeing a wistful decline in movie theater attendance—ticket prices are higher, streaming services are perfectly convenient, and audiences are adjusting for new everyday habits. For viewers, these repeated plotlines often come across as cash grabs or the inability to let go of a cherished story. However, one thing is for certain: viewers are yearning for truthful, original filmmaking.
Hollywood has been experiencing a box-office problem. Theaters have yet to break the $10 billion collective mark at the domestic box office since 2019. For over fifteen years, the top ten highest-grossing movies have overwhelmingly been films from franchises. Film studios are becoming comfortable. They are reliant on their franchises, knowing they will continue to make a profit even if they are not successful or culturally relevant. Despite this, however, big-name studios are seeing a decline in box-office sales. People are becoming picky, and it is beginning to show. This past summer, however, movie theaters saw a rare and sudden uptake in their ticket sales. People flocked to their local theaters on the weekends, eager to watch the next up-and-coming movie.
2026 films such as “Obsession” and “Backrooms” serve as a refreshing reminder that authentic cinematography and original storytelling still exists in modern media. Rather than relying on established franchises, these films succeeded by offering distinctive stories and intentionally crafted worlds. While critics believed that these films would only experience moderate success, these filmmakers were able to prove them wrong. “Obsession,” directed by internet personality Curry Barker, is a supernatural thriller that takes a modern-day crush and twists it into an unyielding obsession. The film was popularized not only for its success as a Youtuber-directed film, but also for its thematic depth. “Backrooms,” directed by 21-year-old Kane Parsons, originated on imageboard website 4chan in 2019, when an anonymous user posted a blurry photograph of a yellow wallpapered room leading into an endless, labyrinthian dimension. In 2022, Kane Parsons uploaded “found footage” of the Backrooms onto YouTube, where it then took a life of its own. In 2026, A24 adopted the concept, and the official film went on to break records upon records.
Both internet savants turned movie directors, these young filmmakers saw massive success upon the release of their films. “Obsession” made $17 million on opening weekend, and has currently grossed around $520 million across international box offices. Not only that, but the film continued to surpass critics’ expectations. After eight weeks in the box office, “Obsession” became the highest-grossing film with a maximum production budget of $1 million, and only having used $750,000. Since its release, “Obsession” has gone on to win numerous awards, including Best Horror Movie and Best Actress for Inde Navarrette’s performance at the Critics’ Choice Super Awards. The film currently ranks in tenth place on the 2026 worldwide box office chart. As a result of the success from “Obsession,” Curry Barker is considered one of the most promising horror filmmakers to emerge from social media, evidenced by his announcement of a second film in production. A24’s “Backrooms” had a spectacular performance in theaters its first weekend, if not better than “Obsession.” The film raked in $81 million upon opening, with a current total of $394.1 million internationally. Compared to other A24 movies, “Backrooms” experienced the largest-ever opening and was ranked as their biggest debut for original horror. The film has currently landed a spot as the eleventh highest grossing movie of 2026 worldwide. What began as an internet horror phenomenon has evolved into one of the most successful and discussed films of the year, proving to big-time directors that unconventional ideas can thrive in an industry dominated and oversaturated by larger franchises.
Part of the excitement surrounding these horror sensations can be derived from the fact that these films feel different. In an industry filled with remakes and franchise installments, audiences jump at the chance to support these original concepts and lesser-known directors. Online discussion surrounding both “Obsession” and “Backrooms” quickly shifted beyond their box office numbers. Many movie-goers are instead celebrating something else: original films can still compete against corporate Hollywood. This growing appreciation for originality reflects a wider frustration with the film industry. People are becoming skeptical of franchise culture, and are wondering the intentions behind it. While fans in the past have welcomed sequels to beloved films, their enthusiasm has been fading as studios continue to overstretch stories farther beyond their natural conclusions.
Hollywood’s dependence on their classic franchises has created an expectation that many storylines need to continue indefinitely. Major studios like Disney or Pixar view sequels as reliable financial investments, and are able to squeeze them until the cost outweighs the benefit. Disney recently completed projects such as “Toy Story 5” (2026) and are working towards films such as “Frozen 3” (2027) and “Ice Age: Boiling Point” (2027). Though these films are one of multiple within their series, they have reached their alleged “ending point” numerous times. Corporate films like these will inevitably perform well at the box office, and their continued production suggests that studios choose to prioritize themes that are proven successful over the risk of creating new stories and new characters. If a franchise reaches its end, the reasoning centers around the inability to continue yielding a profit or an exhaustion of source material. Despite these facts becoming true for many film series, many ongoing franchises seem resistant to their natural endpoints because of their commercial value. In contrast to the rest of the film industry, HBO’s “Succession” ended after four seasons because director Jesse Armstrong believed the storyline had reached its appropriate conclusion, and going further would undermine its narrative integrity. The rarity of this decision highlighted a larger issue within the entertainment industry—audiences will continue to support franchises, but there is a growing demand for something genuinely new.
Technology is rapidly evolving, and originality is becoming more important than ever. The rise of artificial intelligence and the increasing ease at which content is copied, stolen, recycled, and repackaged has made genuine creativity a valuable asset. The world is saturated with people who are heavily reliant on artificial intelligence and generated instructions in order to formulate an idea, and audiences are easily recognizing the differences between an original and fabricated film. For instance, there has been controversy over letting films with artificial intelligence elements be allowed to premiere at film festivals. At Sundance Film Festival in 2024, a walkout was staged after a screening encouraged viewers to communicate with an AI bot about worldly issues. At Tribeca Film Festival this year, “Dream of Violets” sparked extreme controversy, as the director Ash Koosha admitted every frame was generated using artificial intelligence despite utilizing a human script, editing, and soundwork. The film’s inclusion in the festival lineup resulted in major backlash from independent filmmakers and Hollywood unions, with critics arguing that supporting and endorsing a fully AI-generated film sets an unknown, dangerous precedent for job displacement and bypasses the traditional creative process. The intense backlash surrounding these film creations reveals a broader desire among audiences and creators alike for content that reflects a genuine artistic vision rather than a poorly generated production.
Films like “Backrooms” and “Obsession” remind audiences that authentic creativity in the film industry matters, and audiences are more than ready to reward them. If Hollywood hopes to reverse the trend of declining theater attendance and rebuild a connection with their audiences, they may need to halt their reliance on well-known franchises and begin investing in the next generation of original, authentic filmmakers and directors.
Written by Avery Schnautz, Design: Kennady Spies