Backrooms Movie Director’s Dedication Transforms Skepticism into Excitement

When a horror game or creepypasta is adapted into a movie, skepticism is often justified. Past adaptations have rarely lived up to expectations, leaving audiences wary of yet another failed attempt. However, the dedication of Kane Parsons, director of the upcoming Backrooms movie, has shifted my perspective entirely.

At CCXP Mexico yesterday, Parsons shared new details about the film, which stars Chiwetel Ejiofor. The most striking revelation? The team constructed a 30,000-square-foot walkable set of the Backrooms—so vast that crew members and actors reportedly got lost within it.

"The set was huge. We built 30,000 square feet of actual backrooms that we could walk around in. Actually, some people were getting lost. It felt like being there, which was really weird," Parsons explained.

This meticulous approach aims to capture the core of the Backrooms experience: an endless, unchanging labyrinth that preys on the human brain’s spatial awareness. Parsons clarified the intended design:

"I always try to stay away from the idea that the backrooms is somehow a dreamy headspace thing where, if you turn around, the room could have changed. It preys on the human brain’s ability to map spaces and understand them. The hard part for that is, if you go back the way you came, you will go back the way you came, but it just keeps going and going and going. That’s where the confusion and the convolution goes."

Parsons previously adapted the Backrooms into a YouTube web series, demonstrating his deep commitment to the project. Many creepypastas, particularly those originating on platforms like 4chan, struggle in adaptation, often devolving into clichéd horror tropes and earning poor ratings, such as a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Translating liminal spaces—like the Backrooms—into a physical, rule-bound world presents a unique challenge. The Backrooms are described as a place reached by "no-clipping" out of reality, a concept so surreal that its cinematic execution will be pivotal. If the scale and tone of the set—complete with endless rooms and signature yellow walls—are any indication, the film promises an immersive and unsettling experience.