The horror film Obsession, from Focus Features, is making waves at the box office. Starring Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette and directed by Curry Barker, the film was created on a microbudget of less than $1 million. **Obsession** was projected to earn under $10 million during its opening weekend. Instead, it brought in over $17 million. The film’s earnings grew to approximately $24 million by the next weekend, or $30 million including Memorial Day figures.
Such a large increase in revenue for the second weekend is rare. The film has currently earned over $70 million worldwide and is expected to exceed $100 million, marking it as one of the year’s most profitable films. Typically, star power drives ticket sales in Hollywood, but Obsession challenges this idea. The director, Barker, is a 26-year-old content creator from the comedy duo “That’s a Bad Idea,” known on YouTube and TikTok.
Despite the cast lacking A-list names, Inde Navarrette stands out with a performance compared to Kathy Bates in Misery. Navarrette plays Nikki alongside Michael Johnston’s Bear. Actor Andy Richter has a small role in the film.
Box office columnist Erik Childress credits Focus Features with the impressive initial results through effective marketing and word-of-mouth. “It’s incredibly rare,” Childress states, noting the commonality of such box office jumps during holidays but seldom in summer.
Meanwhile, in the world of blockbuster films, The Mandalorian and Grogu (related to the Star Wars universe) opened with $98 million domestically during Memorial Day weekend. This figure is the weakest opening for a Star Wars film since 2018’s Solo, which opened with $103 million. The film is tied to the popular Disney+ series The Mandalorian.
With its modest budget of $165 million, The Mandalorian and Grogu is still expected to be profitable. Childress feels it’s too early for Disney to worry about the future of the Star Wars franchise. There’s a new film slated for 2027 starring Ryan Gosling.
While Obsession‘s success shows the potential of low-budget films without star-studded casts, it’s clear The Mandalorian and Grogu benefits from its association with a major franchise. The juxtaposition highlights different paths to success within the film industry.
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