Written by Obsession just did what no one expected: the sub-$1 million horror flick officially outgrossed Avengers: Endgame on a key box-office benchmark, earning more on its 25th day in theaters than Marvel’s mega-event did on its own 25th day of release. That impressive late-run performance comes on top of a staggering global haul of more than $220 million, which cemented its status as Focus Features’ highest-grossing movie ever.
How Obsession Turned Into a Box-Office Phenomenon
Michael Johnston in Obsession | Credits: Focus Features
Curry Barker’s Obsession has surged to $229,414,260 million worldwide, with around $150 million coming from North America alone, making it the biggest title in Focus Features history on both fronts. The film was reportedly shot for roughly $750,000, meaning it has generated more than 300 times its production budget, putting it in the same “how is this even real?” conversation as low-budget legends like Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project.
Obsession is the rare wide-release movie that actually grew in its second and third weekends, something box-office analysts note hasn’t happened at this scale since E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial back in 1982. In its fourth weekend, it pulled in about $25.6 million domestically, setting an all-time record for the best fourth-weekend hold for a horror film. (Via OPEN)
The real inflection point, though, was how cleanly Obsession slotted into the larger Gen Z horror wave instead of fighting Marvel and Star Wars on their own turf. The film was shot in roughly 20 days, premiered at TIFF to rave reviews, then hit theaters with a 94% Rotten Tomatoes critics score (as of June 10, 2026).
Powered by social media chatter, internet-culture credibility, and a simple but wicked hook: a guy uses a cursed trinket called “One Wish Willow” to make his crush fall for him, Obsession has become the year’s unlikeliest theater must-watch. It has already reclaimed the No. 1 spot on weekday charts at times and even outperformed new studio releases despite being weeks into its run.So yes, the MCU still owns the history books when it comes to massive openings, but in the long-game weirdness of box-office math, this low-budget horror sleeper just scored a win over Avengers: Endgame that no one had on their 2026 bingo card.
Obsession is still running in theaters, creating havoc. Let us know what you think the film’s box office run will end.
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