According to Variety, the Focus Features release is projected to rise 16% in its second weekend, an uncommon feat for a wide release, especially in the horror genre. The film is expected to earn roughly $19.9 million for the weekend and about $24.8 million through the extended Memorial Day frame.
‘Obsession’ Continues Rare Box Office Climb in Week Two
Written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker, the supernatural horror picture opened last weekend with $17.2 million after initially tracking far lower before release. The latest estimates would push its domestic total to approximately $55.1 million after just over a week in theaters, placing it behind only “The Mandalorian and Grogu” during the holiday corridor.
The film stars Michael Johnston as Bear, a music store employee whose desperate wish for his longtime friend Nikki to fall in love with him spirals into psychological and supernatural violence. Inde Navarrette co stars as Nikki, whose increasingly obsessive behavior drives much of the movie’s escalating horror. Supporting cast members include Andy Richter, Cooper Tomlinson, and Megan Lawless.
Before its theatrical release, “Obsession” premiered in the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it attracted attention from distributors and genre audiences. Focus Features ultimately secured worldwide rights in a deal reportedly valued between $14 million and $15 million, one of the largest acquisitions for a genre title in the festival’s history.
The film was produced on a reported budget of roughly $1 million, making its theatrical performance especially notable. Barker, who previously gained online attention for “Milk and Serial,” developed the feature after drawing inspiration from a classic monkey’s paw style premise involving wishes gone wrong. Jason Blum later joined the project as an executive producer under the Blumhouse Productions banner ahead of the movie’s festival rollout.
Horror titles often experience steep declines after opening weekend, particularly once word of mouth spreads beyond core genre fans. Instead, “Obsession” appears to be expanding its audience heading into the Memorial Day holiday, giving Focus Features one of its strongest commercial performers in recent years.
