A24's Record-Breaking 'Backrooms' Heads to HBO Max on September 25

A24's "Backrooms" will begin streaming on HBO Max on 25 September, bringing the indie studio's highest-grossing release to subscribers less than three months after its theatrical debut. Variety

Directed by Kane Parsons, who was 20 years old when he made the film, "Backrooms" opened in theatres on 3 July with $81 million domestically — the United States and Canada — on its way to $330 million worldwide. The production budget was $10 million. Those numbers pushed "Backrooms" past "Marty Supreme" to become A24's top-grossing film to date, according to Variety.

The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as a furniture-store owner in therapy with Dr. Mary Kline, played by Renate Reinsve, with a script by Will Soodik. Parsons, who built an early following through online short-form horror, made the leap to a feature produced and released by A24 — a studio known for championing distinctive independent filmmaking, from "Everything Everywhere All at Once" to "Uncut Gems."

For audiences who want to watch before the HBO Max date, A24's website lists "Backrooms" as available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Fandango, in addition to the A24 platform itself. A24

What makes the streaming move worth noting is the speed. A 25 September streaming debut puts the film on HBO Max roughly 12 weeks after its theatrical opening — a window that has been steadily compressing across the industry as studios look to convert box-office momentum into subscriber engagement. The $330 million worldwide gross, against a $10 million budget, makes "Backrooms" one of the most profitable theatrical releases of the year by any measure.

For fans who missed it in cinemas — or those who simply want to revisit the film at home — 25 September marks the first time "Backrooms" will be included with an HBO Max subscription, no rental fee required.