Horror fans are in for a treat this year, with a packed slate of chilling movies coming to cinemas – including one highly anticipated arrival at the end of May.
Backrooms is a horror sci-fi film set for wide release on May 29 after the world premiere recently took place in Los Angeles.
Here, Film News Blitz writer Amelie Da Costa offers a rundown on the movie and where the concept came from.
Where ‘Backrooms’ came from
The film is directed by American filmmaker, visual effects artist and YouTuber Kane Parsons and is based on a web series he created adapting the ‘Backrooms’ creepypasta, a term that refers to horror-related legends that are posted and shared online.
Backrooms is a popular internet horror concept that is based on the idea of liminal spaces, which make viewers feel unsettled due to their vast emptiness and scarily familiar feeling.
The series was first released in January 2022 via YouTube and consists of 18 episodes.
A combination of the found footage, analog horror, and sci-fi genres, the series took over the internet and has since racked up millions of views over the years.
It revolves around a fictional research institute that discovers the Backrooms, an eerie never-ending room that looks strangely familiar and holds some unnerving feelings.
Following the success of the web series, it was later confirmed that a film adaptation of the narrative would be directed by Parsons and distributed by A24, which is now set to release in theatres on May 29th.
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Details on upcoming film
So far, there is not much we know about the movie – but from the trailer, it looks as though it is going to be terrifying and keep audiences on edge.
The film is about a therapist whose patient disappears into the Backrooms, a dimension far beyond the real world, and her venturing into the unknown to save him.
Things are looking promising for horror fans as the film has garnered a lot of praise since the world premiere in Los Angeles, although there are no official reviews out yet.
The movie has a runtime of one hour and 45 minutes, which is just long enough to keep audiences hooked on the alternate universe of the Backrooms.
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World premiere in LA
The world premiere for the film was on May 7 in Los Angeles, California, where it screened for a small audience before it releases to the wider public.
There were quite a few celebrities in attendance at the premiere, including Alana Haim who is known for her work in the band HAIM and with James Wan, the co-creator of Saw and Insidious.
It also allowed the cast and creators to speak with the audience in a sit-down interview about the film, giving more details on the creation and storyline of the project, though not much has been revealed to the public.
Overall, it seems as if the movie was well liked by people who attended and hit all the marks for being a great horror film.
We cannot wait to see how the movie fares and so far, it seems like it’s going to be a smashing success.
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