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Library/Film/Obsession
Grade B23 sourcesHIS-00321

Obsession

Film · 2025 · Breakout

78Editable slideCertificate

YouTube creator Curry Barker's horror film Obsession grossed $522 million worldwide.

Trailer · Focus Features on YouTube
Trailer · Focus Features on YouTube
Trailer · Focus Features on YouTube
Clip · that's a bad idea on YouTube
Obsession: poster
Box Office Mojo
Obsession | Watch at Home
Focus Features (distributor); Curry Barker (writer-director)
OBSESSION - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters May 15
Focus Features on YouTube
OBSESSION - Official Teaser Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters May 15
Focus Features on YouTube
OBSESSION - Official Teaser Trailer 2 - Only In Theaters May 15
Focus Features on YouTube
Obsession
Variety
Michael Johnston stars as Bear, Megan Lawless as Sarah and Cooper Tomlinson as Ian in Obsession
The Hollywood Reporter
Box Office: 'Backrooms' $81M U.S, $118MWW Opening Is An A24 Record
Deadline
Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston in 'Obsession' (2026)
Deadline
Inde Navarrette stars as Nikki and Michael Johnston as Bear in Obsession, a Focus Features release.
The Hollywood Reporter
how to watch obsesssion online streaming
Variety
Inde Navarrette in 'Obsession.'
The Hollywood Reporter
Inde Navarrette in a scene from the movie Obsession
Deadline
Curry Barker Portrait Session
The Associated Press (via WTOP)
MILK & SERIAL (FOUND FOOTAGE HORROR FILM DIRECTED BY CURRY BARKER)
that's a bad idea on YouTube
Milk and Serial Movie
Variety
Box Office: 'Michael' No. 1 with $83M WW, 'Obsession' $16M & 'A-' CinemaScore
Deadline
Bear and Nikki in Obsession
IBTimes UK
'Obsession' Art Director Calls for Industry Reform After Getting Paid Less Than $7,000 as Film Nears $175 Million
TheWrap
'Obsession' Becomes Hollywood's First Original Film of 2020s to Gross $500 Million Worldwide
TheWrap

Spread Score

How it works
Reach91Contagion60Breadth90Velocity38Longevity10078

Numbers

Worldwide box office (Box Office Mojo)
$522.2M
As of Oct 12, 2026 · Box Office Mojo
Peak date
Week of Jun 7, 2026
Sep 5 ’25 to Week of Jun 7, 2026
Platforms
8
Started on Box office
Leverage
522×
$522.2M on $750K–$1M budget

Mechanics

  • UnderdogPrimary
  • Maker origin
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Pairing

How it spread

Trace the origin

Curry Barker premiered Obsession at TIFF on Sept. 5, 2025, and Focus Features bought it. It opened to $17.2 million in the US on May 15, 2026, then rose in its second and third weekends as TikTok edits spread. It finished at $263 million domestic and $522 million worldwide.

Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Wikipedia views · Google searchesAug ’25OctDecMar ’26JunJulAugSepPeakBox officePressYouTubeRedditTikTokInstagramOpen webRetail
Box officePressYouTubeRedditTikTokInstagramOpen webRetail

16 more events on this chart

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Timeline (19)

  1. September 2025

    Curry Barker / TIFF Midnight Madness seed · Sep 5 ’25

    Curry Barker's first theatrical feature premiered at 11:59pm in TIFF's Midnight Madness section.[1][2]

    Obsession | Watch at Home

  2. Variety press · Sep 5 ’25

    Variety profiled Barker before the premiere. His $800 YouTube feature Milk & Serial had passed two million views.[3]

    Obsession

  3. Deadline commercial · Sep 7 ’25

    Deadline reported Focus Features was in exclusive talks to buy the film for upwards of $15M.[1]

    15M $15M+ deal
Changelogupdated Oct 16 ’26
  1. 2026-10-16Added 1 number
  2. 2026-10-14Revised 1 event · Added 1 source · Fact-check passed (38 claims)
  3. 2026-10-12Added: 17 events, 20 sources · Score 78
Origin
Mixed
Sector
Entertainment
Region
US
Worldwide box office (Box Office Mojo)
$522.2M
As of Oct 12, 2026 · Box Office Mojo
Evidence
Grade B

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New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.

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Wikipedia views · Google searchesAug ’25OctDecMar ’26JunJulAugSepPeakBox officePressYouTubeRedditTikTokInstagramOpen webRetail
Box officePressYouTubeRedditTikTokInstagramOpen webRetail

16 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

  1. September 2025

    Curry Barker / TIFF Midnight Madness seed · Sep 5 ’25

    Curry Barker's first theatrical feature premiered at 11:59pm in TIFF's Midnight Madness section.[1][2]

    Obsession | Watch at Home

  2. Variety press · Sep 5 ’25

    Variety profiled Barker before the premiere. His $800 YouTube feature Milk & Serial had passed two million views.[3]

    Obsession

  3. Deadline commercial · Sep 7 ’25

    Deadline reported Focus Features was in exclusive talks to buy the film for upwards of $15M.[1]

    15M $15M+ deal

  1. owner response · Dec 2 ’25

  2. press · May 7 ’26

Join free to see the other 16 events and the full chart. Free, on every case.

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Why it worked

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