A24 Backrooms full trailer unveils chilling found-footage scenes

A24 has released the full trailer for its film adaptation of the online horror phenomenon Backrooms, offering a stronger sense of tone and style as the movie approaches its May 29 release. The new footage leans into found-footage techniques and unsettling, liminal environments—details that reshape the internet-born concept for the big screen.

The trailer intercuts handheld camera clips with longer, static takes of empty corridors and fluorescent-lit rooms, suggesting the film will mine the same unease that made the original stories viral. Close-ups of malfunctioning electronics and off-kilter architecture reinforce an atmosphere of dislocation rather than jump-scare shock.

What the trailer reveals

Writer-director Kane Parsons, who first drew attention with a series of online shorts about these uncanny spaces, shepherds the project for A24. The cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve and Mark Duplass, and producers attached to the film include established horror names such as James Wan and Osgood Perkins—credentials that help explain the industry buzz.

Plot details remain sparse in the clip, but the central premise is clear: a therapist enters an otherworldly maze while searching for a missing patient. The trailer’s textures—repeating hallways, retro fixtures and a persistent, humming light—underline the story’s focus on atmosphere and psychological disorientation.

• Release date: May 29 (theatrical)
• Director/Writer: Kane Parsons
• Lead cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass
• Producers: James Wan, Osgood Perkins (among others)
• Style: Found-footage elements, liminal/maze-like set design
• Premise: Therapist ventures into a surreal dimension to find a missing patient

The film translates an internet-born mythos—originally spread through creepypasta and collaborative online storytelling—into a conventional narrative framework. In those early posts, the so-called Backrooms were described as endless, banal spaces: office rooms, shopping arcades and hotel corridors bathed in unnatural light. A24’s adaptation appears to emphasize that same sense of uncanny mundanity, amplified for cinema.

For viewers tracking contemporary horror trends, this release matters because it brings an online, participatory myth into the studio ecosystem. The combination of A24’s distinct indie sensibility, Parsons’ intimate knowledge of the source material, and the involvement of veteran horror producers raises reasonable expectations that the movie will prioritize mood and design over conventional scares.

Why you might care

Beyond being a high-profile example of internet folklore crossing into mainstream film, Backrooms represents how studios are adapting modular, crowd-sourced ideas into more structured storytelling. For audiences, that means seeing a familiar online concept reimagined with production scale and star power—potentially changing how these digital legends are consumed and remembered.

Expect the marketing to unfold between now and late May with clips emphasizing the film’s visual world. If the trailer is any guide, A24 is betting that the unsettling geometry and aural hum of liminal spaces will be enough to sustain tension across a feature-length runtime.

In theaters May 29.

Jessica Morrison

Jessica Morrison is a seasoned entertainment writer with over a decade of experience covering television, film, and pop culture. After earning a degree in journalism from New York University, she worked as a freelance writer for various entertainment magazines before joining red94.net. Her expertise lies in analyzing television series, from groundbreaking dramas to light-hearted comedies, and she often provides in-depth reviews and industry insights. Outside of writing, Jessica is an avid film buff and enjoys discovering new indie movies at local festivals.