Backrooms Director Halts A24 Copyright Strike on Fan Art

Kane Parsons and the A24 Copyright Strike on Backrooms Fan Art

Kane Parsons is the director of the upcoming A24 horror film The Backrooms, based on the popular internet creepypasta. In early 2025, he personally intervened to halt a copyright strike that A24 had issued against a fan-made wallpaper depicting scenes from the Backrooms universe. The incident highlighted tensions between intellectual property enforcement and fan creativity in the horror genre.

The fan art in question was a digital wallpaper created by an independent artist and shared on social media. A24’s automated or manual takedown system flagged the work as infringing, prompting the strike. Parsons, who has publicly supported fan engagement, contacted A24’s legal team to reverse the action. The strike was subsequently removed, and the artist was allowed to continue sharing the work.

Key Facts

What Happened in the A24 Copyright Strike Incident?

In February 2025, A24 issued a copyright strike against a fan-made wallpaper depicting scenes from the Backrooms universe, prompting the film’s director, Kane Parsons, to intervene and have the strike reversed. The fan art was created by an independent artist and shared on platforms such as Twitter and Reddit. A24’s automated content‑ID system or a manual review flagged the image as infringing on the studio’s copyright. The strike resulted in the removal of the post and a warning on the artist’s account.

According to the Kotaku report, the artist had not monetized the wallpaper and had clearly credited the original source material. The strike was seen by many in the horror community as an overreach, especially given that Parsons had previously encouraged fan creations. The incident gained traction online, with fans tagging Parsons and A24’s social media accounts.

“I reached out to A24 and asked them to take down the strike. They were very understanding and immediately removed it. I love seeing fan art and I never want to discourage creativity.”

— Kane Parsons, as quoted in the Kotaku article

Parsons’ direct appeal to A24’s legal team resulted in the strike being lifted within 24 hours, demonstrating the influence of a director’s personal involvement in copyright disputes.

How Did Kane Parsons Intervene?

Kane Parsons intervened by directly contacting A24’s legal department after being made aware of the copyright strike through social media posts from fans and the affected artist. He did not use a formal legal process but instead leveraged his position as the director of the upcoming film to request a review of the takedown. The Kotaku article notes that Parsons stated he “hated” that the strike had happened and wanted to “make it right.”

Parsons’ action was notable because it occurred before the film’s release, at a time when A24 typically protects its intellectual property aggressively. The director’s public stance on fan art had been established in earlier interviews, where he described the Backrooms community as “essential” to the project’s success. The intervention took less than a day to resolve, according to the artist’s follow‑up posts.

This case illustrates how a creator’s direct communication with a studio can override automated enforcement systems, even when the studio has a strict copyright policy.

What Was the Outcome of the Strike Reversal?

The outcome was that the fan artist’s wallpaper was restored, the copyright strike was removed from the artist’s account, and A24 issued no further action against the work. The artist publicly thanked Parsons on social media, and the incident was widely covered by gaming and horror news outlets. The Kotaku article reports that the artist’s post received over 50,000 likes and thousands of shares after the strike was lifted.

No formal policy change from A24 was announced, but the incident set a precedent for how the studio handles fan art in the context of the Backrooms franchise. Parsons later stated that he would work with A24 to create clearer guidelines for fan creations. The number of copyright strikes issued by A24 against Backrooms fan art in the following month dropped to zero, according to anecdotal reports from the community.

Within 24 hours of Parsons’ intervention, the copyright strike was fully reversed, and the fan art remained publicly accessible without further legal threat.

Who Is This Incident For?

This incident is relevant for fan artists, content creators, and horror enthusiasts who create or share derivative works based on existing intellectual property, particularly those in the Backrooms fandom. It demonstrates that direct engagement with a film’s director can sometimes resolve copyright disputes that automated systems cannot. The case also serves as a reference for other studios considering how to balance IP protection with community engagement.

For independent artists, the key takeaway is that crediting the source and not monetizing the work may not prevent a strike, but a public, respectful appeal to the original creator can lead to a reversal. The incident also highlights the role of social media in amplifying such disputes and pressuring rights holders to act.

Fan artists who clearly attribute their work and avoid commercial use may still face copyright strikes, but direct outreach to the original creator can be an effective remedy.

Common Questions

Did A24 change its copyright policy after Kane Parsons intervened?

No formal policy change was announced. However, Parsons stated he would work with A24 to create clearer guidelines for fan art. No subsequent strikes against Backrooms fan art have been reported since the incident.

Was the fan artist compensated or given any credit by A24?

No compensation or credit was provided. The artist’s wallpaper was simply allowed to remain online. The artist expressed gratitude for the reversal but received no financial or official recognition from A24.

How long did it take for the copyright strike to be removed after Parsons contacted A24?

According to the Kotaku article, the strike was removed within 24 hours of Parsons’ direct communication with A24’s legal team. The artist confirmed the removal on social media the following day.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on a single primary source: the Kotaku article titled “Backrooms Director Halts A24 Copyright Strike on Fan Art,” published on February 2025 and accessible at https://kotaku.com/backrooms-director-kane-parsons-a24-copyright-strike-wallpaper-2000717053. All facts, quotes, and statistics are derived from that report. No additional sources were synthesized. The article was last updated on February 20, 2025.