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Focus Pays $14M; “Obsession” 95% Fresh, Opens May

5/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Obsession opened in U.S. theaters on May 15, 2026.
Curry Barker, 26, wrote, directed and edited the film, marking his first Blumhouse feature.
Focus Features acquired the movie for $14 million after its world premiere at Toronto’s Midnight Madness in September 2025.
Rotten Tomatoes gave Obsession a Certified Fresh 95 % score from 137 critics, the highest horror rating of 2026.

History

Historical Context

In 1999, Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez premiered The Blair Witch Project at Sundance, where Artisan Entertainment bought it for $1.1 million. The film, made on a $60,000 budget, earned $248.6 million worldwide, proving low-budget horror could become a blockbuster. That success paved the way for later indie titles like Curry Barker’s Obsession, which Focus Features acquired for $14 million after its Toronto Midnight Madness debut.

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Story summary

Obsession opened in U.S. theaters on May 15, 2026.
Curry Barker, 26, wrote, directed and edited the film, marking his first Blumhouse feature.
Focus Features acquired the movie for $14 million after its world premiere at Toronto’s Midnight Madness in September 2025.
Rotten Tomatoes gave Obsession a Certified Fresh 95 % score from 137 critics, the highest horror rating of 2026.

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