"Backrooms": how one forum photo grew into a global horror phenomenon
A single photo posted on 4chan in 2019 spawned the "backrooms" internet horror phenomenon, which by 2026 has reached the big screen. The low-budget film is already nearing $400 million at the box office.
The internet subculture known as the "backrooms" began in a surprisingly simple way: in 2019, a user on the forum 4chan posted a single photograph. It showed an empty, harshly lit room with unpleasant yellow wallpaper — an image that over time became one of the most recognizable horror symbols of the digital age.
Notably, the photo itself predates the legend built around it. It was actually taken back in 2002 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, inside what was then a furniture store. The space had been cleared out ahead of a planned renovation, and this seemingly mundane shot later became the foundation for a sprawling myth about an alternate, reality-detached space with no way out.
From a forum post to the big screen
Since that first post, the backrooms concept has grown online into a community of hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts who keep building on and expanding the horror narrative themselves, writing their own versions of the story. In 2026, the phenomenon reached cinemas with a full-length horror film directed by 21-year-old Kane Parsons, who originally began exploring the backrooms concept on his YouTube channel, Kane Pixels.
The film's budget is relatively modest by industry standards — around $10 million. Despite that, box office revenue is already approaching the $400 million mark, underscoring both the phenomenon's massive popularity and how a story collectively created by internet users can leave a major mark on the traditional entertainment industry.
