The low-budget horror film has shattered records by becoming the highest-grossing original movie since 2020 and the most profitable film ever made for under $1 million.
The horror film Obsession has achieved a significant box office milestone by surpassing $500 million in global earnings, marking the first original film released in the 2020s decade to reach this figure. The achievement places it ahead of Pixar's 2023 animated feature Elemental, which grossed $494.6 million worldwide, establishing Obsession as the highest-grossing original movie of the post-pandemic era.
What makes the film's commercial performance particularly remarkable is its modest production budget of $750,000. This makes it the most profitable film ever made for less than $1 million, surpassing the 1973 Bruce Lee martial arts film Enter the Dragon, which cost $850,000 to produce and has earned $400 million across multiple re-releases. The film was written and directed by 26-year-old filmmaker Curry Barker and was released theatrically on May 15. The movie tells the story of a woman whose violent obsession is triggered after a young man makes a supernatural wish for her affections to return.
Obsession demonstrated unusual theatrical staying power, becoming the first film since E.T. to see its weekly box office revenues increase during each of its initial three weeks in cinemas. By the end of its U.S. theatrical run on August 14, the film had earned $263.4 million domestically and $238.1 million internationally. The film has also been recognized as the highest-grossing festival acquisition in history after Focus Features acquired it following its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.
The film's success has accelerated the careers of its cast members. Lead actress Inde Navarette has been cast as Rogue in Marvel's upcoming X-Men film, while co-star Michael Johnston is in negotiations to join Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in Universal's forthcoming The Mummy remake. Director Barker is reportedly developing his next project, a horror film titled Anything but Ghosts, in which he will also star alongside co-writer Cooper Tomlinson.
