Obsession makes box office history by crossing $500 million worldwide

Focus Features’ horror hit Obsession has made box office history by crossing $500 million worldwide, becoming the first original film released in the 2020s to reach the milestone.

The film has surpassed Pixar’s 2023 animated feature Elemental, which earned $494.6 million globally, to become the highest-grossing original movie of the post-pandemic era.

Directed by Curry Barker, Obsession follows a woman who is transformed into an obsessive and murderous girlfriend after a man makes a selfish wish. The low-budget horror film has achieved remarkable commercial success despite being made for less than $1 million.

According to the latest box office figures, Obsession has earned $263.4 million in North America and $238.1 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to $501.5 million. The film added $2.5 million from markets including China and Germany, while its South Korean release is still expected to contribute to its global total.

The movie initially opened in the United States with $17.1 million but continued to perform strongly in subsequent weeks. Its domestic box office remained above $17 million for several weekends, an unusual trajectory for a modern theatrical release.

Obsession has also become the highest-grossing festival acquisition ever and the highest-grossing film made with a production budget below $1 million.

The success has boosted the careers of its cast, particularly Inde Navarrette, whose lead performance has received significant attention. Navarrette is set to play Rogue in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men film, while Michael Johnston is reportedly in talks to appear in Universal’s new The Mummy movie.

Meanwhile, Barker is developing his next horror project, Anything but Ghosts, with Focus Features.