Reddit as a Real-Time IP Incubator: From r/backrooms to Hollywood

A Reddit community centered on the “Backrooms” concept evolved into a feature film produced by A24 that opened to a $118 million box-office total. The movie’s performance demonstrates how a niche subreddit can become a property.

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The idea originated from a 4chan post in 2019, prompting the creation of r/backrooms. Members used the subreddit to expand the premise through collaborative lore-building, turning a simple meme into a detailed fictional universe.

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Jim Squires, chief marketing officer of Reddit, describes the platform’s role as an incubator. YouTube creator Kane Parsons (Kane Pixels) produced short-film episodes that attracted studio interest. Actress-producer Sydney Sweeney is attached to another Reddit-originated project, “I Pretended to Be a Missing Girl.” Moderator SanderSo47 of r/movies and studio A24 completed the chain linking online fandom to Hollywood.

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Reddit reported 240 billion views of entertainment-related content in the past year, and a study with Samba found an 18 % lift in viewership for campaigns tied to that content. Parsons’ AMA on r/movies generated more than 1,400 comments. The Backrooms film’s $118 million opening added to Reddit’s broader influence. Reddit, founded in 2005, counts the Newhouse family as its largest individual investor.

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Jim Squires says Reddit functions as a continuous incubator for new intellectual property, with moderators and communities shaping story environments that studios can evaluate and develop. He also describes the platform as an exceptionally effective focus group for gauging audience reaction, highlighting its role in both organic engagement and paid promotion. Moderator SanderSo47 adds that Reddit could serve as a dependable source of emerging talent and large-scale projects.

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• “It started back in 2019, and it was where people were coming together to really take this simple concept into all these discussions and the lore-building that happened in there,” — Jim Squires, CMO, Reddit

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• “Reddit has helped build communities on different topics, and that includes internet phenomena. The bigger the community, the bigger the opportunity to create something worthwhile,” — SanderSo47, r/movies moderator

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• “It’s almost a real-time IP incubator of sorts, with moderators and communities that are cultivating these spaces where stories and fandoms can grow organically,” — Jim Squires

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• “I think of Reddit as the most powerful focus group that’s ever existed.” — Jim Squires

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The source material presents a consistent picture of Reddit’s influence on the Backrooms IP; no contradictory figures or missing details were identified.

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Studios are now monitoring subreddits for emerging stories, and Reddit says it will continue to facilitate AMAs and both organic and paid marketing tools for creators. The Backrooms film’s $118 million global box-office shows that an internet-originated concept can achieve mainstream commercial success, a result that may prompt studios to pursue additional Reddit-sourced ideas.

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