The highly anticipated first teaser for A24's new horror film, Backrooms, has been unveiled, offering a glimpse into its unsettling world. The teaser features a voiceover by Chiwetel Ejiofor's character, describing a vast, unending expanse of countless rooms that "just goes on and on and on." Visually, it transitions through eerie, yellow-hued rooms, incorporating various furniture until it morphs into a sterile hallway reminiscent of an abandoned 1990s business center. Ejiofor's character further explains that this mysterious place doesn't create rooms but rather "remembers" them, and "the more it remembers something, the less it does." Directed by newcomer Kane Parsons, the film is set to release on May 29, 2026, with a cast including Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, and Finn Bennett, and produced by a team including Shawn Levy and James Wan.

The concept of the Backrooms originated as an internet creepypasta and urban legend, first appearing in a 2019 post on 4chan. This initial post featured an ominous picture of an empty hallway accompanied by a chilling text: "If you're not careful and you noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you'll end up in the Backrooms." It warned, "God save you if you hear something wondering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you." From this viral beginning, the creepypasta evolved, with online communities expanding its lore. Essentially, the Backrooms are depicted as a sprawling, unfinished dimension "behind" our reality, characterized by endless yellow hallways, strange spaces, and countless rooms. It is said to be accessible by "no-clipping"—an internet term for phasing through physical spaces in video games—with no apparent exit. The Backrooms feature numerous unsettling levels, some resembling abandoned swimming pools or carpeted rooms from the 1990s, all illuminated by bright, buzzing fluorescent lights. Adding to the dread are the various creepy, shapeless entities that roam these infinite corridors, easily detecting and pursuing anyone unfortunate enough to stumble into their domain. While their exact nature varies across different interpretations, a consistent trait is their deadly intent.

While the decentralized nature of internet lore often made it challenging to track the evolving Backrooms narrative, YouTuber Kane Parsons, known online as Kane Pixels, released a seminal short web series in 2022 that largely defined the visual and atmospheric identity of the concept. His 22-episode series, which garnered significant attention beyond internet forums, is now widely considered the definitive take on the Backrooms. It chronicles the Async research institute's discovery and subsequent investigation of the Backrooms, juxtaposed with incidents of people across the country vanishing and suffering gruesome fates after "no-clipping" into this alternate dimension. Parsons masterfully employed a found-footage format with an unstable VCR aesthetic, creating a nightmarish atmosphere through first-person perspectives typical of analog horror and sterile Async informative videos. The series also subtly implies a deeper, more pervasive influence of the Backrooms on the real world. At just 17, Parsons demonstrated remarkable talent, handling most of the visual effects himself using software like Blender and After Effects. His profound understanding that "less is more" in horror, particularly in the realm of cosmic and supernatural horror where the unknown is scarier than any tangible monster, made him the ideal candidate to direct the upcoming film adaptation.

Over the years, the Backrooms have transcended their origins to become a significant pop culture phenomenon, largely due to their effective utilization of "liminal spaces." These transitory areas, such as empty hallways or deserted office buildings, are places where people typically only pass through en route to another destination, rarely lingering. Their inherent emptiness and transient nature create a profound sense of unease, making reality itself feel subtly "off" and contributing to the chilling, surreal feelings the Backrooms evoke. This concept of liminality has seen a resurgence in popular culture, influencing works across various media. Video games like The Stanley Parable prominently feature surreal challenges within office environments, directly drawing from liminal aesthetics. Similarly, Dan Erickson, creator of the acclaimed Apple TV series Severance, cited the Backrooms as one of his "disparate influences." In literature, Susanna Clarke's 2020 novel Piranesi, with an upcoming animated adaptation by LAIKA, explores a fantastical take on the concept. With Kane Parsons, who has a deep grasp of its essence, at the helm of the A24 film, the Backrooms are poised to further solidify their influence on global pop culture.