The low-budget horror movie 'Obsession' has surpassed expectations, earning over 100 times its budget of $750,000. The film, directed by Curry Barker, has earned $62 million at the U.S. box office and $84 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest hits of the year. The movie's success is attributed to its atmospheric and scary content, as well as the performances of its cast, including Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston.
OBS_FP_00039_R Inde Navarrette stars as Nikki and Michael Johnston as Bear in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLCThe movie has been out for just under two weeks, but it’s already one of the biggest hits, let alone horror hits, of the year.
If you’ve somehow missed what the movie’s about, it’s essentially a “be careful what you wish for” tale: Bear uses a mysterious “One Wish Willow” and wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone else in the whole world, and she does, but there are some horrifying consequences to his wish. OBS_FP_00031_RInde Navarrette stars as Nikki in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC “Obsession” is a low budget horror movie that doesn’t look cheap, delivering on atmosphere and scares with a mere $750,000 budget. As of Wednesday May 27, the movie has earned $62 million at the U.S. box office and $84 million worldwide, per, and is poised to continue bringing in ticket sales for at least the next week. That’s well over 100 times its budget already.
Plus, the film was shot in just 20 days, proving a simple idea, careful planning, and creative execution can make a hit.4262_D019_00116_RDirector Curry Barker on the set of his film OBSESSION, a Focus Features release. Credit: Manny Liotta / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC Horror and comedy share a lot of DNA when you think about it: there’s a set-up and a payoff, either a punchline or a scare depending on the genre.
Like Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger before him, “Obsession” director Curry Barker got his start making funny sketches. Barker is one half of the YouTube duo “that’s a bad idea” alongside Cooper Tomlinson, who also stars in the film. The team made an hour-long horror feature called “Milk & Serial” with Tomlinson in 2024 that garnered attention and helped Barker land the directing gig.
“We’re finally getting to the point where people are like, OK, fine, I’ll put my film on YouTube,” Barker toldin a recent interview. “Versus when I was in film school, that was kind of like a last resort. People didn’t want to put their stuff on YouTube. They wanted to go the festival route.
I was like, screw it. You know, just put it on YouTube and see what happens. ” Even before “Obsession’s” box office success, Barker was gaining the confidence of Hollywood and has already been tapped to direct a new version of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” from A24. OBS_FP_00039_RInde Navarrette stars as Nikki and Michael Johnston as Bear in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC “Obsession” only had one recognizable name in its cast when it debuted in theaters: comedian Andy Richter, who plays the owner/manager of the music store where the young characters work. But it’s Inde Navarette, who plays the cursed Nikki, who’s become the breakout star.
Navarette’s performance is intense, creepy, and occasionally heartbreaking as the real Nikki breaks through in a few scenes, terrified and confused by the effects her so-called friend’s wish has had on her. The 25-year-old shows incredible range, poising her for a killer career as a scream queen and beyond. Credit also goes to Michael Johnson’s performance as Bear, a seemingly nice guy who makes a “harmless” wish that, the more you think about it, the more horrifying it becomes.
Johnson tries to maintain Bear’s “innocent” façade, but his weak-willed ways spell tragedy for everyone around him. OBS_FP_00073_RInde Navarrette stars as Nikki and Michael Johnston as Bear in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC, and the story has kept people talking online.
It’s not just jump scares or Navarette’s unsettling performance that has audiences talking and theorizing, but the overall story of someone making a wish that erases another person’s autonomy, tapping into some very real fears. , “That's the thing that's really funny is that everyone kind of treats the One Wish Willow like it's this cursed thing, and I understand why, because of the context of the movie, but the thing is, the thing that Bear wishes for is cursed.
Like, taking away someone's autonomy, taking away someone's self, that's cursed. It's just that the wish itself is a very cursed thing. ” The movie is also packed with details and nuances that have kept audiences engaged and talking even after they’ve left the theater, possibly the surest sign of an effective movie. A pregnant woman was one of the victims who lost their life in a house fire on Bancroft Drive over the weekend, according to family members.
Brother Wease and co-author Marshall Fine joined ARC Rochester on Wednesday to talk about "At Ease with Brother Wease.
"The church, located at the corner of Clinton Avenue and Court Street in downtown Rochester, said the city's public toilets are closed and locked at night.2 injured in Perinton crash along Erie Canal bridge; road closed A driver and passenger have been hospitalized with minor injuries after a Thursday morning crash in Perinton that led to a partial road closure.
Obsession Low-Budget Horror Curry Barker Inde Navarrette Michael Johnston
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump Doubles Down on Bizarre Obsession With White House PillarDonald J. Trump
Read more »
US box office takings soar after boost from surprise hit 'Obsession'Shot in 20 days on just $750,000, 'Obsession' just did something no horror film has ever done at the box office.
Read more »
San Diego mosque shooter’s twisted obsession with dressing up as notorious serial killers at schoolThe teen alarmed classmates and staff at High Tech High in Chula Vista after dressing up as notorious murderers responsible for some of the world’s deadliest mass killings.
Read more »
'Obsession' Just Did Something Most Movies Never DoMost movies see a drop at the box office week to week, but the buzzy horror film did the opposite.
Read more »