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Life is good for Kane Parsons. Not only has the 20-year-old’s debut feature film Backrooms been hailed by both critics and audiences alike, but it has already become the highest-grossing film in the history of A24 despite being in theaters for less than a week.
After just six days at the box office, Backrooms has made $191 million and climbing, surpassing the likes of A24’s Marty Supreme ($191.3M during its entire stint in theaters), Everything Everywhere All At Once ($148M), Civil War ($127M), and Materialists ($104M). No matter how you slice it or what lens you look at it through, it’s a remarkable achievement. And he’s not even old enough to drink.
20-year-old Backrooms director Kane Parsons says he would make generative AI “disappear forever” if he could
He is old enough, apparently, to have enough wisdom to be averse to generative AI in filmmaking — which is, unfortunately, the opposite take of old-head directors such as Martin Scorsese, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, and more who have shown a willingness to embrace it.
“I think I’m in the same boat as most well-adjusted people. If I could snap my fingers and make generative AI disappear forever, I probably would,” Parsons told The Australian. “Creatively, I get no enjoyment from using those tools. It defeats the purpose entirely for me.”
Earlier this week, it was announced that a Backrooms sequel was in early development, with Parsons reportedly currently looking for a screenwriting collaborator to work on the sequel (yet another sign of his wisdom beyond his years, as he seems to have a solid grasp on what his strengths and weaknesses are — which is uncommon for both 20-somethings and filmmakers).
Perhaps what’s most impressive about Backrooms, though, is that while it’s technically and undoubtedly a horror film, it shows an undeniable grasp of emotional and psychological artwork, suggesting that his future endeavors could and should reach far beyond the horror genre. Whatever he winds up doing next, you can be sure A24 will be looking to keep him in house.
While a Backrooms sequel is all but guaranteed at this point, Parsons’ next move outside of the franchise will obviously be of incredible interest in Hollywood given his remarkable early success and clear talent, both tangible and intangible, as a director.
Backrooms, which is now playing in theaters, stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell. Check out the official trailer below.