In a serious win for horror fans everywhere, Obsession, which initially hit theaters in May, has become the 5th highest-grossing horror movie of all time. And it’s not just a win for horror fans, but for fans of original films in general—movies that Hollywood would have you believe can no longer be successful in the wake of Marvel, DC, and other legacy franchises. It’s already the highest-grossing horror film of the decade and the highest-grossing film with a budget under $1 million, but if Obsession crosses the $500 million threshold (which looks entirely feasible at this point), it will be the highest-grossing original film of the decade.
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Obsession has already done the seemingly impossible, nabbing an identical score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and audiences alike: 94%. The movie centers on a young man named Bear (Michael Johnston), who, when he realizes that he’s not romantically impressing the woman that he desires, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), takes matters into his own hands—and to the next level. Bear breaks an item known as the “One Wish Willow,” and finds that he’s ended up with exactly what he wants. But it’s not a happy ending, especially for Nikki, who finds herself locked inside her own mind as Bear has convinced himself that she’s in love with him. Obsession is dark; it’s heinous, it’s a deep look inside “nice guy” culture, and it’s a masterclass in modern storytelling.
Obsession‘s Success Means That Fans Are Demanding Original Stories Instead of Rehashed Franchises
And in a post-Marvel world, it seems to only be a surprise to studio executives that moviegoers want original narratives instead of another formulaic take on a narrative we’ve seen over and over for the last five decades. And Obsession did the impossible on a fraction of the budget that goes into these overly produced studio events. It doesn’t hurt that its narrative feels ridiculously timely as well, putting center stage issues surrounding autonomy, while turning on its head the notion of who we’re meant to be rooting for in a horror movie. “Curry Barker’s Obsession is a shocking & riveting breath of fresh air for a genre that has been struggling to give audiences something truly unique & memorable lately,” says critic Jeff Beck.
And casual viewers are just as riveted by the film as critics, fully drawn in by its original take on a theme that’s been making the horror rounds since the concept of horror was introduced to film in the first place; a woman’s autonomy and right to her own mind and body have long been a theme explored in horror. One fan laid it out succinctly, saying, “Proof that a masterclass performance on a $750K budget will beat out a bloated $200M superhero sequel every single time.” Another added, “Obsession is the perfect mix of psychological horror and emotional storytelling. Instead of relying on jump scares, it builds suspense through the characters’ emotions, making the tension feel real from beginning to end.”
It looks like Obsession is finally proving that original storytelling is truly what fans are craving—and maybe the studios will listen, giving us more gems like this one.
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