A24 is bringing the internet's viral "Backrooms" liminal space horror trend to cinema with a new feature film directed by Kane Parsons.
The project marks a significant transition for the property, moving a digital myth born from online communities into a physical, high-budget production. By materializing these surreal environments, the studio aims to tap into themes of corporate isolation and nostalgia that fueled the original web series.
Production designer Danny Vermette led the effort to build the unsettling environment. The set design focuses on the specific aesthetic of liminal spaces, areas of transition that feel eerie because they are devoid of people. To achieve this, the production utilized 37,000 square feet of wallpaper [1].
The physical set includes tunnels that lead to nowhere and a variety of musty props to enhance the sense of decay and abandonment [1]. These elements are designed to mirror the unsettling atmosphere of the original viral content, which features yellowed walls and the hum of fluorescent lighting.
Parsons, a YouTube sensation, transitioned from creating the web series to directing the feature film [1]. The production seeks to translate the psychological dread of the internet trend into a tangible experience for audiences [2]. This approach relies on extensive set construction rather than relying solely on digital effects to create the feeling of an endless, claustrophobic maze [1].
The film explores the concept of "glitching" out of reality into a repetitive, corporate-like wasteland [3]. By focusing on the tactile nature of the environment, A24 intends to heighten the unsettling nature of the liminal space phenomenon [2].
“A24 is bringing the internet's viral "Backrooms" liminal space horror trend to cinema.”
The adaptation of 'The Backrooms' represents a broader trend of studios mining 'creepypasta' and internet-native folklore for cinematic content. By investing in massive physical sets rather than purely CGI environments, A24 is attempting to validate the 'liminal space' aesthetic as a legitimate psychological horror tool, bridging the gap between digital memes and traditional prestige horror.
