"Obsession" premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 and, after a rapid build‑up, opened in May across 2,615 theatres, pulling in $17.2 million on its first weekend. Within two weeks it had groossed $79.7 million worldwide, a return that eclipses its $750 k budget more than 100‑fold, according to IMDb Pro’s BoxOfficeMojo.

From YouTube to the Box Office: Curry Barker’s Rapid Rise

According to the source, 26‑year‑old YouTuber Curry Barker directed the film, a fact that has drawn attention from both indie circles and mainstream audiences. Barker’s background in digital content creation is cited as a factor in the film’s viral marketing strategy, which included cryptic billboards and a product‑launch campaign for the One Wish Willow toy. The source notes that Barker said, “I had no idea what was going to happen,” underscoring the unexpected scale of the film’s success .

Jason Blum’s Endorsement Signals a Rare Horror Upswing

The article highlights that horror heavyweight Jason Blum, who served as an executive producer, described the film’s performance as “rare.” Blum’s involvement lends credibility to the project, and the source quotes him saying the film’s profitability is unusual for the genre. this endorsement comes at a time when horror has struggled to find wide‑release successes that grow in the second weekend.

Second‑Weekend Growth: A Statistical Outlier in Horror

"Obsession" is noted as the only wide‑release horror film of the century to earn more in its second weekend, pulling in $22.4 million—a 30% increase over its opening. The source states that such a trend is unprecedented in horror, where second‑weekend drops are the norm.. This statistical outlier suggests a shift in audience reception and marketing efficacy.

Audience Demographics: Youth‑Driven Momentum

PostTrak data in the source indicates that 75% of the film’s audience is between 18 and 25 years old. Focus Features, the distributor , opted for a wide release rather than a platform strategy, launching the film in over 2,000 theatres nationwide. The source attributes this choice to the film’s strong appeal among younger viewers, who are more likely to engage with social‑media‑driven marketing.

Critical Acclaim Meets Audience Praise: Rotten Tomatoes and CinemaScore

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Obsession" has a 95% fresh Tomatometer score and a 94% Popcornmeter score, making it the highest‑scored movie of the year on the site. The source also notes an A‑ grade on CinemaScore exit polls, a rare achievement for horror films since 2019. These metrics underscore the film’s broad appeal across critics and general audiences alike.

Who Is Behind the One Wish Willow?

The source raises the question of the toy’s origins, noting that Focus Features sold the One Wish Willow product within hours of its commercial launch. However, details about the toy’s manufacturer or the legal agreements behind its distribution remain undisclosed, leaving a gap in the story’s commercial narrative.