The teenager who turned a YouTube horror series into a $10 million idea is reportedly heading back to the yellow halls. A24 wants Kane Parsons for Backrooms 2, and after the first film’s numbers, that choice makes total sense.
A24 has apparently found its director for Backrooms 2, and it is the name almost everyone predicted. According to a wave of trade reports in early September 2026, Kane Parsons is set to return to direct the sequel, making it his next feature. No formal announcement has dropped yet, but reporting suggests one is close. For a project this closely watched, “reportedly” is the only honest word until A24 says it out loud.
Still, the fit is obvious, and the reason traces straight back to how much money the first movie made.
The Short Version
Multiple trade outlets report that Kane Parsons, the young filmmaker behind the viral Backrooms YouTube series, is set to return to direct Backrooms 2 for A24. An official announcement has not landed yet but is said to be close. The sequel follows a first film that became A24’s biggest box-office hit ever.
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What the Reports Say
The gist across outlets is consistent: Parsons is returning, and Backrooms 2 will be the project he does next rather than a side commitment he circles back to later. A ScreenRant report framed the deal as essentially sealed, with the official word expected imminently.
That last detail matters more than it sounds. When a studio lets a director prioritize a sequel above everything else on their desk, it signals confidence and speed. A24 is not treating this as a maybe. It is treating it as the follow-up to the biggest thing the studio has ever released.
Why the First Film Changed A24’s Math
Here is the context that makes the sequel a foregone conclusion. The original Backrooms, adapted from Parsons’ internet-famous short films, reportedly earned around $394 million worldwide against a production budget near $10 million, per figures compiled on the film’s Wikipedia page. That return made it the highest-grossing movie in A24’s history.
Think about what that does inside a studio. A24 built its reputation on prestige horror and awards-season darlings, not franchise tentpoles. A homegrown horror property that outgrosses everything else in the catalog earns more than a sequel. It rewrites the studio’s ambitions. Keeping the original creator in the chair protects the specific weird sensibility that made it work.
What We Actually Know About Backrooms 2
Not much, and that is normal this early. Reporting indicates the sequel will pick up from the events of the first film and push deeper into the mythology, past the familiar yellow-wallpapered office maze into the broader lore that fans have theorized about for years. There is no release date, no confirmed cast, and no official synopsis yet.
So temper expectations on timing. A “director attached” stage is the start of a long road, not the finish line. What it does confirm is direction, in both senses: the franchise is moving forward, and it is moving forward with the person who invented it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Backrooms 2 officially confirmed?
Not by A24 in a formal announcement as of mid-September 2026. Multiple trade outlets report that Kane Parsons is set to direct and that an official confirmation is expected soon, so treat it as a strong report rather than a done deal.
Who is Kane Parsons?
A young filmmaker who created the viral Backrooms horror series on YouTube as a teenager, then was hired by A24 to direct the feature adaptation. He is reportedly returning for the sequel.
Did the first Backrooms movie do well?
Extremely. It reportedly grossed around $394 million worldwide on a budget near $10 million, becoming the highest-grossing film in A24’s history and turning a niche internet concept into a mainstream hit.
When does Backrooms 2 come out?
There is no release date yet. The project appears to be at the director-attachment stage, so a specific window will likely come only after the deal is formally announced and production is scheduled.
What are the Backrooms?
An internet horror concept built around endless, unsettling liminal spaces, most iconically a maze of empty yellow-wallpapered office rooms lit by buzzing fluorescent lights. It began as online creepypasta and images before Parsons brought it to film.
What This Means
Backrooms 2 landing Kane Parsons is less a surprise than a confirmation of where A24 sees its future. The studio found an accidental blockbuster, and rather than hand it off, it is keeping the original creator in charge of the sequel. Nothing is signed in public yet, so watch for the official announcement, but the trajectory is clear. For more film and streaming coverage, browse YouGottaRead’s Movies section.
