If you’re on the pop culture side of social media, it’s safe to assume you’ve heard about the movie Obsession by now.
If your feed is more cooking tips or funny cat videos, let us introduce you to a movie that is breaking box office records, yet people are walking out halfway through in tears.
Obsession is the latest horror film to hit cinemas, and it seems to be doing a number on audiences.
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It follows the story of Bear, a man who breaks the “One Wish Willow” in hopes his friend and crush Nikki will fall in love with him – a wish that ultimately yields some horrifying consequences.
In the film industry, there’s a saying that horror movies open on a Friday and die on a Saturday, famously finding short-lived success at the box office.
But for Obsession, that’s not the case.
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While attendance for any movie tends to stall from Monday-Thursday, Obsession was still bringing people into cinemas, topping the North American box office for those four days, beating out blockbusters such as The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Michael.
While it didn’t remain in the top spot for the weekend, thanks to the release of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, ticket sales jumped by 30 per cent compared to the first weekend.
It’s an almost unprecedented increase, especially when talking about horror films.
While many find themselves questioning the increase due to a lack of marketing for the movie, Obsession has found its success through word of mouth on social media.
The film is being praised as one of the most terrifying horror movies to hit cinemas in the last decade. But it’s not the jump scares frightening audiences; it’s the psychological horror reflective of our own society.
Many women online are sharing that they left the theatre mid-way through the movie in tears.
“Obsession was so disturbing and uncomfortable because the casual selfishness of a man is a terrifying thing,” wrote one viewer on X.
“Even a man you trust, even a man you think is your friend. You have no idea what autonomy they would steal from you if given the chance, and that’s horrifying.”
While the easy option in a story like this is to turn Nikki into the villain, what director Curry Barker has reportedly done is show her as the victim.
There are moments where the real Nikki breaks through the spell for mere seconds, seemingly terrified of the spell Beau has cast on her.
It caters to multiple avenues of horror, relying on the more traditional elements of brutality and jump scares while weaving through the real-life fears of many.
It’s this layered storytelling that has both critics and audiences agreeing upon a 95 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, something that rarely happens.
Obsession is set to become one of the most profitable movies of the year, having so far grossed just shy of $80 million worldwide with a production budget of less than $1 million.
Even those who couldn’t stomach the whole movie have seemingly applauded Barker on his nuanced depiction of horror, and there are calls for actress Inde Navarrette to receive recognition for her performance during awards season.
While horror is a genre usually reserved for a select few, historically performing poorly at the box office and being snubbed during awards season, there is hope for Obsession.
Aside from its clear box office success, horror performances were awarded at the 2026 Oscars, with Michael B. Jordan taking home the win for Sinners and Amy Madigan for Weapons.
While it may be too early in Navarrette’s career to receive that kind of recognition, one thing is clear: Obsession has resonated with audiences on a different level, and maybe more horror should do the same.
