Backrooms is an upcoming American science fiction horror film directed by Kane Parsons in his feature-length directorial debut and written by Will Soodik. It is based on Parsons' web series and inspired by the "Backrooms" creepypasta.
Director: Kane Parsons
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell
Release Date: May 29, 2026
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated R for language and some violent content/bloody images.
Runtime: 1h 45m
Review:
Kane Parsons brings his YouTube series to the big screen in a mesmerizing debut that’s an unsettling, off-kilter decent into a manila colored labyrinthine propelled by stellar visuals and a standout performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor. Parsons film boast an early 90’s aesthetic that leans heavily into the more mundane but there’s always a sense that something is off about what you are seeing. Cinematographer, Jeremy Cox, deserves a hefty amount of credit as he and Parsons frame shots with a meticulous attention to detail both in the real-world environments and the multitude of “backrooms” the film takes us through. It all gives the proceedings a distinctive look that’s striking and instantly memorable especially when the film changes to a first-person VHS perspective emulating the original “creepy pasta” shorts. The switch to first person delivers some of the film’s most hair-raising moments as we are exposed to a steady barrage of the increasingly bizarre rooms and creatures that inhabit them. There’s an arthouse approach to the whole thing that maybe off putting to some since answers are few and far between by design leaving large portions of the story up to interpretation. The story seems to pull inspiration from a variety of sources most notably Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich, David Lynch’s more idiosyncratic film along with a healthy serving of Mark Z. Danielewski’s 2000 book, House of Leaves, which also dealt with a massive nonsensical, dark labyrinth. This is definitely a film that leans heavily on strength of its atmospheric energy to make up for its lean storytelling approach. Chiwetel Ejiofor makes the most of his screentime delivering an impressive turn as the damaged furniture store owner who discovers a portal to the “backrooms.” Ejiofor mines the script for every morsal of emotional depth for his character as we follow his decent into the rooms and his own damaged psyche. There are a few moments of levity when his employees, played by Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell, join his exploration with distavorous results. Renate Reinsve plays Clark's therapist, who carries her own trauma but doesn’t get nearly as much to work with even as she takes the lead in the final act of the film. Reinsve does the best she can with her screentime which is mostly made up of looking into the camera is confused wonderment however she does have two impressive interchanges with Ejiofor that leaves you wishing the script had explored their relationship in more depth over the course of the film. Story issues aside, its hard to deny the level of artistry and talent on display in Backrooms which bodes well for Kane Parsons’ future in film.
A-
