A24’s Backrooms signals shift to internet-born talent in Hollywood
The 17-year-old YouTuber’s adaptation of a 4chan creepypasta, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, highlights a broader trend of online creators transitioning to mainstream cinema.
A24 has released the feature film Backrooms, directed by 17-year-old YouTuber Kane Parsons, marking a significant moment in the convergence of internet culture and mainstream cinema. The film, based on a creepypasta concept originating from the image board 4chan, stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. Its release is cited as evidence that Hollywood’s future talent pool is increasingly emerging from online platforms, following similar transitions by creators such as Markiplier and the Philippou brothers.
Parsons taught himself Adobe After Effects and Blender as a teenager, rising to online fame with his first Backrooms short in 2022, which has garnered nearly 80 million views. He was tapped by A24 to direct the feature-length version while still under the legal drinking age. The film utilises a sharp 4K aesthetic, moving away from the low-resolution VHS style of Parsons’ original YouTube shorts, though it retains some nostalgic visual elements.
The narrative follows a divorced furniture store owner, played by Ejiofor, who maps the titular space after discovering a gateway in his building’s basement. He is joined by his therapist, played by Renate Reinsve, who is searching for a missing patient. The movie avoids explaining the origins of the Backrooms, focusing instead on mystery and the disintegration of reality, a choice that allows the audience’s imagination to fill in the blanks.
This project reflects a historical pattern where new talent for Hollywood emerges from cheaper mediums that allow artists to hone their skills. In the 1940s and 1950s, directors like Sidney Lumet and Steven Spielberg started in live television, while the 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of commercial and music video directors. The internet is now the next major proving ground for cinematic talent.
The film was screened in a sold-out theatre, with a notably young audience reacting strongly to the horror elements. Parsons’ success suggests that short-form video creators may soon begin making their way into feature films, continuing the evolution of how cinema discovers and develops its next generation of directors.
