The idea of Backrooms might have started on message boards about liminal spaces, but it has become something of an internet phenomenon with a web series and now, a movie on the way. Liminal spaces, areas that seem to exist outside of time and space, are not a new concept in science fiction or horror, but the existence of social media and internet message boards has expanded the lore around them as people have contributed their own ideas or experiences. “Backrooms” are typically seen as huge empty rooms that can only be accessed when someone exits their own reality.
Kane Parsons took that idea and ran with it, creating a short film and sharing it on YouTube in 2022. Since that first short film, Parsons has expanded the narrative and created a series with 20 more shorts. In February of 2023, ᴅᴇᴀᴅline broke the news that production studio A24, known for its independent movies that make a big splash, like Everything Everywhere All At Once, would produce a film adaptation of Parsons’ concept. Since then, there has not been much public information about the Backrooms movie, but that does not mean it is not on the way.
The Backrooms Movie Was Delayed Because Of The 2023 WGA & SAG-AFTRA Strikes
Kane Parsons Had Planned A 2023 Shoot
When Kane Parsons (known online as Kane Pixels) began sharing his short films on YouTube, several studios were interested in his work. Parsons, however, was only 17 years old at the time, and 16 shorts were shared on the streamer before news of A24 bidding on (and winning the screen rights to) his Backrooms work was announced. At the time, Parsons was still in school. With the films being his creative enterprise long before A24 became interested in it, Parsons was attached as the director with Robert Patino writing the script for The Backrooms movie.
According to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline’s original report, Parsons planned to film the movie during his summer vacation from school. His summer vacation, however, coincided with the overlapping strikes that took place in Hollywood in 2023.
The Writers Guild of America was on strike from May 2 through September 27, 2023. The guild strike meant that writers who were members could not work on scripts for studios, could not offer edits, and could not be on sets to help work out potential script issues at the time.
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists was on strike from July 14 to November 9 of the same year. This meant that even if the script was finalized, actors were not available to audition or work. Only a handful of movies produced by Hollywood teams were given exemptions to finish their work or promote their work during that time.
With the two strikes overlapping for over two months, it makes sense that the film would have been pushed back while both creative unions were negotiating with studios over new contract details. Despite the delay, the movie is still slated for production by A24.
What We Know About The Backrooms Movie
Few Details About The Backrooms Movie Have Been Released
Parsons’s first short featured a young filmmaker who stumbles into another dimension.
Producer Dan Cohen confirmed in September of 2024 that the Backrooms movie was still on the way. While speaking with Hollywood Handle (via X), Cohen confirmed that they were still working on the script and looking forward to making the movie with Parsons. When speaking at the premiere of Never Let Go, he reiterated, “our hope is we can make it soon,” without giving more details.
While the movie has been delayed, Parsons has continued to release shorts on his YouTube channel periodically, potentially teasing the aesthetic and ideas of the movie. “Potentially” because very little is known about the movie. There have been no casting announcements, no release date announcements, or anything else just yet.
What we do know about the Backrooms movie is that Parsons is still attached to direct and that the movie is still slated to be inspired by his original concept. Parsons’s first short featured a young filmmaker who stumbles into another dimension. That place, where time and space appear to have no real meaning, resembles a maze-like office building.
The original Backrooms short film has now amᴀssed over 66 million views online, so A24 will certainly see a huge amount of interest in the movie.
