The Backrooms Viral Creepypasta Explained

What Is the Backrooms Creepypasta?

The Backrooms is a viral internet horror phenomenon originating from a 2019 4chan thread. The creepypasta describes an endless, yellowed office complex accessible only by glitching through reality. Kane Parsons' Kane Pixels YouTube series, starting in 2022, turned this concept into an award-winning found footage saga. A24, the independent film studio behind Hereditary and Everything Everywhere All at Once, acquired the rights to adapt the Backrooms into a feature-length film directed by Parsons.

Key Facts

How Did the Backrooms Become a Viral Phenomenon?

The Backrooms became a viral sensation after an image of a liminal yellow office was posted on 4chan in 2019, prompting users to define the unsettling space. The concept of "noclipping" out of reality into an endless maze resonated deeply online. Kane Parsons' 2022 YouTube adaptation gave the lore a sophisticated visual narrative using found-footage techniques.

The series accumulated tens of millions of views, leading to a competitive studio bidding war won by A24 in 2023. Luke Plunkett of Kotaku defined the core concept as "an endless maze of yellow, damp-smelling offices... a place you can only get to by noclipping out of reality."

"an endless maze of yellow, damp-smelling offices... a place you can only get to by noclipping out of reality."

— Luke Plunkett, Kotaku

Kane Parsons' YouTube series accumulated tens of millions of views, leading to a competitive studio bidding war won by A24 in early 2023.

What Is the Lore of the Backrooms?

The Backrooms lore describes an infinite, liminal space composed of endless, damp yellow offices. Entrance occurs through a glitch called 'noclipping,' which tears a person from reality. The space is explored by the government-linked Async Research Institute, which developed a material called "MEG" to access the "Threshold" dimension.

The primary dangers are hostile entities such as "Bacteria" (a spore-producing fleshy entity), "The Beast" (a tall, humanoid predator), and "The Observer." The narrative explores themes of isolation, surveillance, and the collapse of reality.

The core hazard of the Backrooms is not the empty spaces but the various hostile entities, including the Bacteria and the Beast, that hunt individuals trapped in the endless hallways.

What Is A24's Backrooms Movie?

A24's The Backrooms is an upcoming feature-length film adaptation of the viral creepypasta, directed by Kane Parsons. Announced in February 2023, it aims to expand on the found-footage universe Parsons established on YouTube. Shawn Levy is attached as a producer via his 21 Laps production banner.

Kotaku reported that the project emerged from a multi-studio bidding war, which A24 won, securing the rights to the property and Parsons as director. The exact release date remains unannounced.

The A24 movie, directed by Kane Parsons and produced by Shawn Levy, was officially announced in February 2023 following a competitive multi-studio bidding war.

Who Is Kane Parsons?

Kane Parsons, known online as Kane Pixels, is a filmmaker and the creator of the popular YouTube Backrooms series. He was a teenager when he uploaded the first short film in January 2022, which stunned audiences with its high-fidelity analog horror aesthetic and single-take camera work.

His channel quickly amassed a large following, prompting Hollywood interest. A24 signed him to direct the feature film, making him one of the youngest directors to lead a major studio horror project.

Kane Parsons was a teenager when he created the initial Backrooms series in 2022 and was subsequently signed by A24 to direct the feature film adaptation.

Who Is the Backrooms For?

The Backrooms universe appeals to fans of analog horror, liminal space aesthetics, 2010s internet memes, and A24's slate of "elevated" horror films. It bridges the gap between casual creepypasta consumers who remember the 4chan original and cinephiles following the studio behind Hereditary and The Witch.

The property also targets younger audiences who grew up on YouTube-based horror content, offering a recognized IP that translates the digital format into a theatrical experience. Established horror directors like Shawn Levy have publicly supported the project.

The Backrooms adaptation targets established horror fans and younger demographics who popularized the creepypasta on YouTube and TikTok.

Common Questions

Where did the Backrooms originally come from?

The Backrooms originated from a 2019 thread on 4chan's /x/ (paranormal) board. An anonymous user posted a stock image of a liminal yellow office hallway and asked users to define the unsettling feeling it invoked, leading to the "noclipping" narrative.

Is the A24 movie connected to Kane Pixels' YouTube series?

Yes, A24's film is directly connected. Kane Parsons, the creator and director of the YouTube series, is attached to write and direct the feature film. The film is expected to expand on the narrative canon established in his online videos.

When is the Backrooms movie by A24 releasing?

A24 has not officially announced a specific release date for The Backrooms feature film. The project was announced in February 2023, and production updates have been limited. As of the latest reporting, no theatrical date has been confirmed.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based primarily on the reporting of Luke Plunkett for Kotaku, in the article titled "What are the Backrooms? The Viral Creepypasta Explained." Additional context regarding the lore is derived from the established canon of Kane Parsons' YouTube channel (Kane Pixels) and A24's official production announcements.

Primary Source: Luke Plunkett. "What are the Backrooms? The Viral Creepypasta Explained." Kotaku. URL: https://kotaku.com/what-are-the-backrooms-movie-kane-parsons-a24-box-office-2000701083

This article was last updated on May 17, 2024.