The global audience’s fascination with the movie “Obsession” seems to rival that of its deranged and murderous protagonist. Recent reports from The Wrap have confirmed that the horror film has surpassed the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office, making it the first original film of the 2020s to achieve this milestone.
“Obsession” has now outperformed Pixar’s “Elemental,” which earned $494.6 million globally in 2023, establishing itself as the highest-grossing original movie of the post-pandemic era, as per The Express Tribune. This micro-budget film, depicting a woman consumed by violent obsession due to a supernatural wish, has also become the most successful film ever made for under $1 million, with a production budget of just $750,000.
Written and directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker, “Obsession” debuted in theaters on May 15 and has seen a remarkable rise in weekly grosses since its release, a feat not seen since “E.T.” The film concluded its U.S. theatrical run on Aug. 14, grossing $263.4 million domestically and $238.1 million internationally, bringing its total earnings to $501.5 million and continuing to climb, according to Box Office Mojo. A release in South Korea is on the horizon.
The film’s success has also catapulted its young cast into the spotlight, with lead actress Inde Navarette landing a role as Rogue in Marvel’s upcoming “X-Men” film, and lead actor Michael Johnston in talks to star alongside Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in Universal’s new “The Mummy” movie.
With the overwhelming success of “Obsession,” Curry Barker’s future looks promising. The filmmaker is currently working on a new horror project titled “Anything but Ghosts,” in which he will also star alongside co-writer Cooper Tomlinson.