Backrooms director Kane Parsons wants the next chapter of his franchise on television, not in theaters. The 21-year-old filmmaker told Deadline this weekend that his dream scenario is a limited series that reaches the story's final ending. Here's everything you need to know about his plan, what's confirmed and what's still up in the air.
Key Facts to Know
- Parsons' dream scenario is a limited series, not a big-screen sequel, to deliver the story's "main ending," per Deadline.
- Backrooms earned roughly $400 million worldwide and became A24's biggest opening ever. Source: Yahoo Entertainment
- Parsons is the youngest director to debut a film at number one, both domestically and globally. Source: Deadline
- No sequel or series has been officially announced, according to Bloody Disgusting.
From YouTube Shorts to Box Office Hit
Parsons didn't arrive out of nowhere — he built this world one found-footage short at a time. The then-teenage creator launched his Backrooms web series on YouTube in 2022, drawing on the internet creepypasta about an endless maze of empty yellow rooms. It grew into a 25-episode series, per Wikipedia.
A24 turned that cult following into a feature. Written by Will Soodik, the film follows a therapist whose patient vanishes into a dimension beyond reality, and she must enter the unknown to bring him back. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve star.
Kane Parsons discusses the success of Backrooms at Deadline's Zurich Summit Studio in September 2026. Deadline
Parsons' Limited Series Dream
Speaking at Deadline's Zurich Summit Studio, Parsons made clear he isn't slowing down. "I never stop making things," he told Deadline in September 2026.
That's a telling line from a filmmaker with a franchise on his hands. It also sets up his real message: a movie sequel isn't the endgame he has in mind.
Parsons said the story has followed a plan since the web series began, according to Deadline. The challenge, he explained, has been finding the right way to package it. A limited series, in his view, is that package.
Why a Series Makes Sense
Parsons has been consistent about this idea for a while. In an earlier Smosh interview, he said the ideal outcome would be to "finish it off with like a 9 episode limited series," per Screen Realm.
The film has since done far better than "very well," to borrow his own phrasing. Nine episodes would give the sprawling lore room to breathe — something a two-hour movie can't do. (More on the sequel question below.)
He's also not fond of one label attached to the film. Parsons pushed back on calling Backrooms a horror movie, per Screen Realm, even though it's packed with dread and monsters. It's a distinction fans of Curry Barker's breakout hit Obsession will recognize as another buzzy, genre-blurring success this year.
What About a Movie Sequel?
Here's where things get murky. Dread Central reported earlier this month that Parsons signed on to direct Backrooms 2, per Screen Realm. A24 has yet to formally announce a sequel.
Wikipedia notes that Deadline reported in early June that Parsons was seeking a screenwriter for a follow-up, though he denied it. Bloody Disgusting confirmed that no plans have been announced for what comes next.
So for now, a sequel remains unconfirmed. The series idea is a wish, not a greenlight. Parsons also said he has projects he'd like to discuss when he can, per Dork, without naming them.
Who Could Lead a Series?
Given how the film ended (spoilers ahead), Fangoria's writers suggest a series is unlikely to follow either Ejiofor's or Reinsve's characters, per Fangoria. Their pitch is a personal pipe dream: Mark Duplass, who played scientist Phil in The Creep Tapes, could carry the story forward.
That's speculation, not an announcement. Still, it shows how eager fans are to see the Backrooms world continue on the small screen. Studios love a built-in audience, and this one has proven it will show up.
It's a familiar story for cult favorites. Just ask Donnie Darko's director, who watched a rocky start turn into a beloved legacy. Creature fans hungry for more can also check out Lionsgate's Beware Boiúna.
What Happens Next
Parsons told Wikipedia-cited outlets in May 2026 that the original web series would continue, so his Backrooms world is far from finished. Whether the next step is a sequel, a limited series or both, the young director has the industry's attention.
For now, fans are waiting on A24 and Parsons for a formal word. Stay tuned to Bigwritehook for more on Backrooms as the story develops.
