The Backrooms movie, the long-awaited adaptation of the viral internet creepypasta, has finally received its Rotten Tomatoes critic score — and it's far from glowing.
The film, directed by Kane Parsons and produced by A24, premieres in theaters this week. Early reviews from critics paint a mixed to negative picture, with the current Rotten Tomatoes score hovering in the low 50% range based on approximately 50 reviews. The consensus: The Backrooms fails to capture the eerie, minimalist terror of the original YouTube short that launched the phenomenon.
The Backrooms originated in 2019 as a 4chan post describing an endless, liminal space behind reality. Kane Parsons, then a teenager, turned the idea into a viral YouTube short in 2022, amassing millions of views and sparking a wave of user-generated content. A24 quickly snapped up the feature rights, promising a big-screen adaptation with a reported $8 million budget.
Reviews have praised the film's production design and nostalgic VHS-era aesthetic, but criticize its thin plot and over-reliance on jump scares. The Rotten Tomatoes score — currently at 53% as of May 27, 2026 — places the film in the 'Rotten' category, a disappointment for A24 which has built a reputation for elevated horror hits like Hereditary and The Witch. 'The Backrooms is all atmosphere and no substance,' writes one prominent critic. 'What worked in two minutes of YouTube fails to sustain 90 minutes.'
Despite the lukewarm critical reception, the Backrooms movie is expected to draw a sizable opening weekend thanks to its built-in fanbase. Internet horror adaptations have a spotty track record — Slender Man bombed, while Five Nights at Freddy's succeeded with younger audiences. The Backrooms may follow a similar path: critics hate it, but fans might turn out.
The bigger question is whether A24's gamble on internet-born IP will pay off. If the Backrooms movie underperforms at the box office despite strong meme-driven awareness, it could signal a ceiling for this type of content. The film's fate may influence which online phenomena get greenlit next — from SCPs to other creepypastas. For now, the Backrooms movie's Rotten Tomatoes score is a warning sign, not a death sentence.
Culture
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The ‘Backrooms’ Rotten Tomatoes Review Score Has Arrived
Backrooms is in theaters soon, and now critic reviews are coming in, giving the film a Rotten Tomatoes score that isn't going to set the world on fire.
Paul Tassi, Senior Contributor
Forbes
2 min read
6/10
Key Takeaways
- The Backrooms movie holds a 53% Rotten Tomatoes critic score based on 52 reviews as of May 27, 2026, earning a 'Rotten' label.
- Director Kane Parsons was only 17 when his original Backrooms YouTube short went viral in 2022 with over 40 million views.
- A24 backed the feature adaptation with an estimated $8 million budget, marking its first film based on a creepypasta internet meme.
- Critics have praised the film's period-accurate VHS aesthetic but panned its plot density, with many calling it 'atmosphere without substance.'
- The film is set for a wide release in 3,200 theaters across the US on May 30, 2026, facing competition from Warner Bros.' 'The Chrononauts.'
Frequently Asked Questions
The Backrooms movie follows a group of friends who accidentally slip into an endless labyrinth of empty, yellow-tinted office rooms. Based on the 2019 internet creepypasta and the 2022 viral YouTube short, the film explores the liminal terror of being trapped in an infinite non-space.
The Backrooms movie is directed by Kane Parsons, the same teenager who created the original viral YouTube short in 2022. Parsons was 17 when the short exploded online; he was later hired by A24 to helm the feature adaptation.
As of May 27, 2026, the Backrooms movie holds a 53% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 52 reviews, classifying it as 'Rotten.' The audience score is not yet published.
Critics are divided. Many say the film has strong visual atmosphere and unsettling set design but relies too heavily on predictable jump scares. Several reviews note that the slow-burn dread of the original short doesn't translate well to feature length.
The Backrooms movie opens in US theaters on May 30, 2026. A streaming release date on platforms such as Paramount+ and A24's own streaming service has not yet been announced.
Critics largely agree that the film fails to expand the simple premise of the original short into a compelling 90-minute story. While production design and nostalgia appeal are praised, the plot is described as thin and the pacing uneven.
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www.forbes.com
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