Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic Michael, dedicated to Michael Jackson, topped the box office this weekend with $26 million in ticket sales, but its reign may be coming to an end as an unlikely independent horror film is gaining significant momentum. We’re talking about Curry Barker’s Obsession, which ranked third on its opening weekend with a $17 million debut… however, it saw a surge in the following days and has now grossed nearly $3 million compared to Michael’s $2.7 million—an incredible overtaking, given the production differences between the two films.
Barker’s film has great potential, fueled by excellent word-of-mouth, including an “A-” rating on CinemaScore—extremely rare for a horror film. Focus acquired “Obsession” at TIFF for $15 million, but rumors are beginning to circulate that the film’s budget was just $750,000. A surprising performance for such a budget, and besides, the theatrical run has only just begun, so the box office will only continue to rise in the coming days.
It’s no surprise that, right after his premiere at TIFF, the studios were lining up to work with Barker: the young, promising director immediately signed a deal to make a film with Paramount, directed a film for Focus starring Aaron Paul, and was hired by A24 to direct their first film in the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.
Not bad for a director who just turned 26! Are they already on the hunt for the next Zach Cregger?
Source: Box Office Mojo
