A string of films made by or adapted from creators who first built audiences online generated notable box-office returns this spring, prompting Hollywood studios to accelerate development of internet-sourced material, according to producers and filmmakers working at the intersection of the two industries.
Hollywood pursues internet-native filmmakers after box-office gains from online-rooted projects
A string of films made by or adapted from creators who first built audiences online generated notable box-office returns this spring, prompting Hollywood studios to accelerate development of internet-sourced material, according to producers and filmmakers working at the intersection of the two industries.
Three films drew particular attention: Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons — who went viral as a teenager with a web series set in the same world of liminal spaces — became A24's highest-grossing movie ever. Obsession, a horror-comedy by Curry Barker, who built an audience on YouTube through sketch-comedy videos, became a word-of-mouth hit. Iron Lung, self-financed, directed, and released by the gaming YouTuber known as Markiplier, grossed at least ten times its budget worldwide, aided by his nearly 40 million subscribers.
Several projects with online origins have since entered development as feature-length films, including Siren Head and Cartoon Cat, each inspired by the viral imagery of artist Trevor Henderson; Seasons, adapted from a short story first published on the Reddit forum r/nosleep; and The Mandela Catalogue, a script based on a YouTube horror series set in a fictional Wisconsin county invaded by shape-shifting creatures. The Mandela Catalogue prompted an 11-studio bidding war, with Steven Spielberg signing on as a producer.
Hollywood's earlier attempts to translate internet culture into mainstream entertainment were largely unsuccessful. During the 2010s, a Grumpy Cat meme starred in a Lifetime holiday movie, a Reddit thread about a father's sayings became a quickly canceled sitcom, and a major studio adaptation of Slender Man — a character originating on an internet forum — received poor critical notices.
Producer Scott Glassgold recalled encountering internet-native filmmakers as far back as nearly 14 years ago, when he found a short film on Vimeo by directors Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell. He sought independent financing for them after studio interest was accompanied by suggestions of replacing the directors. He described that era as 'the 1.0' of Hollywood's engagement with internet talent.
- The source does not state the specific box-office revenue figures for Backrooms, Obsession, or Iron Lung beyond Iron Lung grossing at least ten times its budget.
- The source does not state the budget for Iron Lung or the other films discussed.
- The source does not state which studio won the 11-studio bidding war for The Mandela Catalogue or on what terms.
- The source does not state the current production or release status of Siren Head, Cartoon Cat, Seasons, or The Mandela Catalogue.
- The source does not include any response or comment from the internet creators whose works are in development — including Trevor Henderson, Alex Kister, or the author of the r/nosleep story Seasons.
- The source does not state the budget for Backrooms or the terms of Parsons's deal with A24.
Read the original at The Atlantic