Obsession Decimates Horror Box Office Records, Mints $200 Million Globally

Focus Features' horror-romance film Obsession has become the studio's highest-grossing movie ever, crossing $224.7 million at the worldwide box office, Deadline reported. Curry Barker's debut had set records for the best fourth-weekend hold for a horror film and the biggest fourth weekend ever for the genre. The earlier record-holder on both counts was The Blair Witch Project, which fell 9 per cent in 1999 and grossed $24.2 million in its fourth weekend. Obsession had also earlier become the first film since 1982’s E.T.: The Extraterrestrial to post increases in both its second and third weekends.

While Obsession opened to only $17 million — still roughly 23x its budget — it later made more in its second weekend than its first, and more in its third weekend than its second. Focus Features had acquired Obsession at the Toronto International Film Festival for around $15 million. The film has now gone past the global totals of several major titles from the Universal-owned label, including Downton Abbey (2019), which earned $193.3 million worldwide, Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu on $181.8 million, Burn After Reading on $164.3 million, and Darkest Hour on $150.3 million. Obsession was not the only film making headlines at the box office last weekend. A24's Backrooms became the studio's highest-grossing film worldwide, while Lionsgate's Michael emerged as the company's biggest box-office success globally.

The thriller has crossed the Rs. 50 crore gross mark at the Indian box office in just 12 days of theatrical run, including paid previews. It seems poised to surpass the lifetime cume of Michael and Project Hail Mary in India.