Obsession Doubles Down on Success with Record-Setting Second Weekend

By The Crypt Keeper · May 25, 2026 · 4 sources
Obsession

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Obsession

The quick read

  • Obsession sees a rare 30% increase in box office earnings over its debut weekend.
  • This low-budget horror film grossed $22 million in its second weekend in North America.
  • Obsession is poised to become one of the most profitable films of the year.

Focus Features’ 'Obsession' is making waves in the horror community after achieving a remarkable feat at the North American box office. According to reports from Variety and Dread Central, the film grossed $22 million in its second weekend, a staggering 30% increase over its impressive $17.2 million debut. Such growth is a rare phenomenon, indicative of strong word-of-mouth and widespread audience engagement — a true testament to the film’s unexpected allure.

Directed by Curry Barker and generating buzz since its reveal at the Toronto International Film Festival, 'Obsession' managed to carve a niche in a crowded release schedule. Notably, the film achieved this box office prowess at 2,655 theaters, slightly more than its debut location count, underscoring a growing audience curiosity and satisfying horror appetites ripe for innovative narratives. It's worth noting that a second-weekend surge like this is uncommon, positioning 'Obsession' not just as a horror success, but as a strong contender across all genres.

This latest development signals not only the viability of creatively ambitious, low-budget horror projects but also points to an increasing openness in mainstream audiences to engage with horror as a respected art form. As 'Obsession' continues to climb the box office ladder, it raises intriguing possibilities for the future of horror cinema, hinting at a potential renaissance driven by originality and unorthodox storytelling styles.

Sources

  1. ‘Obsession’ Just Pulled Off One of Horror’s Rarest Box Office Feats Dread Central · Brad Miska · yesterday
  2. Box Office: ‘Passenger’ Crashes In Crowded Weekend With $9M Dread Central · Brad Miska · yesterday
  3. ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ Flies to a Steady $165 Million Global Box Office Opening TheWrap Movies · Jeremy Fuster · yesterday
  4. How ‘Obsession’ Became an Unprecedented Box Office Horror Hit — and One of the Year’s Most Profitable Movies Variety Film · Rebecca Rubin · yesterday

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