The global audience’s fascination with the horror film “Obsession” seems to match the obsession portrayed by its deranged protagonist. Recent reports from The Wrap reveal that the movie has exceeded 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,” a 2023 animated success, which grossed $494.6 million globally. According to The Express Tribune, it has become the highest-grossing original film post-pandemic era.
This micro-budget production, depicting a woman consumed by violent fixation after a supernatural wish from a young man, has also become the top-grossing movie made for under $1 million. With a mere $750,000 budget, it has surpassed the profit of the 1973 martial arts classic “Enter the Dragon,” which cost $850,000 to produce and earned $400 million through re-releases.
Directed and written by 26-year-old Curry Barker, “Obsession” premiered on May 15. As reported by CBC Arts, the film experienced a rare feat, seeing its weekly earnings rise consistently in its first three weeks in theaters, a trend not seen since “E.T.”
By the conclusion of its domestic run on August 14, “Obsession” had amassed $263.4 million in the U.S. and an additional $238.1 million internationally, bringing its total earnings to over $501.5 million and still climbing, according to Box Office Mojo. A release in South Korea is on the horizon.
Focus Features’ acquisition of the film post its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival has made “Obsession” the highest-grossing festival acquisition in history. The movie’s success has opened doors for its cast, with lead actress Inde Navarette landing a role in Marvel’s upcoming “X-Men” as Rogue. Similarly, lead actor Michael Johnston is in discussions to star alongside Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in Universal’s new “The Mummy” installment.
The overwhelming success of “Obsession” is expected to pave the way for Barker’s next project. The Wrap reports that the filmmaker is currently working on a horror film titled “Anything but Ghosts,” in which he will also take on a starring role alongside co-writer Cooper Tomlinson.