A24 is venturing into well-known internet horror territory, but on a much grander scale. The studio has unveiled the initial teaser for Backrooms, a feature-length adaptation of the viral YouTube series created by filmmaker Kane Parsons. The trailer captures the unsettling tone that longtime fans have come to expect.
Unlike conventional horror trailers, this teaser avoids jump scares and heavy exposition. Instead, it focuses on atmosphere, with a drifting camera navigating through a labyrinth of empty, yellow-lit rooms that appear to stretch infinitely. Each space grows increasingly disorienting, creating a quiet, almost eerie stillness before a creeping sense of unease sets in.
This atmospheric tension has been central to Backrooms since its inception. Kane Parsons cultivated a large online following by transforming a simple concept into a profoundly disturbing experience—an endless, liminal space that feels both familiar and unsettlingly alien. The original videos offered minimal explanation, and this ambiguity became a key part of their appeal. The upcoming film seems to preserve that same mysterious energy, but on a much larger scale.
The concept originated from a viral image that circulated years ago, depicting a strangely empty room bathed in harsh lighting with no apparent purpose. Internet lore then expanded this into the idea of the “backrooms,” an alternate dimension composed of endless, repetitive spaces. Parsons developed this into a full narrative through his series, and now A24 is adapting it into a feature film while maintaining its original essence.
Notably, the teaser feels remarkably restrained despite the involvement of a high-profile cast, including Renate Reinsve, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Duplass, and Lukita Maxwell. The focus remains firmly on the environment, which almost takes on the role of the main character. This approach appears to be a deliberate and clever choice.
The power of Backrooms lies in its simplicity and the way it allows viewers to dwell in discomfort without over-explaining the world. The teaser indicates the film will continue this approach, intensifying the unsettling atmosphere rather than clarifying the mystery.
