Summer employment for high school graduates is becoming a lot more lucrative.
Kane Parsons, the 17-year-old creator of the YouTube series "The Backrooms," has been hired by A24, Chernin Entertainment, 21 Laps Entertainment, and Atomic Monster to direct a feature-length adaptation of the series. Roberto Patino will also serve as an executive producer on the film.
When Kane Pixels, a YouTube user who has been revealed to be a parsons pseudonym, uploaded a nine-minute found footage video showing people exploring spooky empty rooms, the reaction was overwhelming, with viewers raving about the suspenseful atmosphere and dramatic special effects. To date, the first "Backrooms" video has been viewed more than 44 million times on YouTube.
Parsons followed that with 15 more "Backrooms" videos that he has uploaded to his YouTube channel in the last year. The YouTube series has gradually expanded the "Backrooms" mythology, creating a more linear narrative story to accompany the initial found footage videos. The series has amassed over 100 million views in total, while gradually developing a cult following of Internet users who like to speculate on the franchise's history.
The film "The Backrooms" will be the latest in a rapidly expanding category of film adaptations of terrifying viral Internet stories. Before ultimately receiving a theatrical release in 2018, "Slender Man" from director Sylvain White was similarly based on the Internet's original viral creepypasta. It's not surprising to see Hollywood continue to seek out haunting pages on the Internet.
No plot information or release date have been provided, although it's reasonable to assume that the director's school schedule will prevent extensive reshoots. For Atomic Monster, Shawn Levy, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, and Alayna Glasthal are producing.
Brian Welk's latest reporting