‘Obsession’ horror movie turns $750K budget into $30M box office hit

Horror hit Obsession earns 95% RT score and breaks box office records with a $30M+ debut on a tiny budget

Curry Barker’s horror film “Obsession” is emerging as one of the most surprising box office success stories of 2026, combining strong reviews with an impressive financial performance on a microbudget.

The film, starring Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, follows a young man who makes a wish using what appears to be a harmless childhood toy, asking for his crush to fall in love with him. However, the wish quickly spirals into terrifying consequences, driving the film’s psychological horror narrative.

Released on May 15, 2026, “Obsession” opened to $17.2 million domestically, securing the number three spot at the box office during its debut weekend. However, its momentum did not slow down after opening.

According to Box Office Mojo, the film climbed to the number one position during the following weekdays, outperforming major studio titles such as Michael, The Devil Wears Prada 2, and Mortal Kombat II. Over its first week, the horror feature has already earned more than $30 million domestically.

What makes the success even more notable is its extremely low production budget of just $750,000, making it one of the most profitable horror releases in recent memory. It is also the cheapest film to top the box office since Paranormal Activity in 2009.

Critically, “Obsession” has been equally strong, holding a 95% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A- CinemaScore, signaling strong audience approval and positive word-of-mouth.

Industry analysts suggest the film’s momentum could continue into its second weekend, potentially defying typical box office drops. Even with upcoming competition from major releases like A24’s “Backrooms”, “Obsession” is already being seen as one of the standout indie horror successes of the year.