A24 has a new biggest hit. Backrooms, the horror film directed by 21-year-old Kane Parsons, has crossed $350 million in global earnings on a $10 million budget, making it the highest-grossing film in the studio’s history. The movie is now headed to streaming for spooky season, and fans have several ways to watch it from home.
What Backrooms Is About
The film is set in the ’90s in Santa Clara Valley, California. It follows Clark, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who runs a furniture shop after a separation. One night, he finds a hidden doorway in the basement that leads to the Backrooms — an endless stretch of eerie liminal space. He enters the portal and starts exploring.
The story is based on a viral YouTube found-footage series, which grew from an unsettling old 4chan post. The movie stars Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell alongside Ejiofor.
Digital Rental and Purchase Options
Backrooms first became available to buy or rent at home on July 14, 2026, through digital-on-demand retailers. The original prices were $24.99 to buy and $19.99 to rent, but those have since dropped to $19.99 and $7.99, respectively.
Rentals offer access for 30 days, though the clock starts ticking once you begin watching. You get only 48 hours of viewing time from that point.
| Service | Buy Price | Rent Price |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV | $19.99 | $7.99 |
| Fandango at Home | $19.99 | $7.99 |
| Prime Video | $19.99 | $7.99 |
| HBO Max | Subscription required |
Streaming Debut on HBO Max
A24 renewed its output deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, meaning new A24 releases stream on HBO Max first. The theater-to-streaming schedule follows the same pattern as recent films like Marty Supreme, The Drama, and Bring Her Back.
Backrooms is now streaming on HBO Max as of Sept. 25, 2026. The timing lands just in time for spooky season.
How Much HBO Max Costs
HBO Max subscriptions start at $10.99 per month. There are several ways to save money on the plan:
- Annual subscription: Pay $109.99 for a year, which breaks down to $9.17 per month. That saves about 16%, or up to $45.89 over a year.
- Ad-supported plans: Monthly costs $10.99, but the annual plan drops to $9.17 per month.
- Premium vs. Standard: Both are ad-free, but only the Premium plan unlocks 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Atmos, and more offline downloads. Premium costs $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year (about $19.17 monthly); Standard costs $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year (about $15.42 monthly).
Special Deals for Phone Plans and Students
Cricket customers can get HBO Max with ads for free by switching to the Supreme Unlimited plan for $60 per month. College students can use UNiDAYS to verify their status and receive a discount code dropping the monthly cost from $10.99 to $5.49.
The UNiDAYS code applies for an entire year, after which the price jumps back to full unless canceled.
Best Bundle Deal
The Disney+ bundle, which includes HBO Max and Hulu, costs $19.99 per month with ads. That is about $15 cheaper than paying for each separately. Ad-free runs $32.99 per month, saving up to 42%.
Verizon customers on Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate can add Netflix and HBO Max for $13 per month, a $7 savings each month. Xfinity Internet and TV customers get a package with Netflix Standard with ads ($8.99 per month), Peacock, and HBO Max for $10 per month.
What Fans Should Know
The film’s journey from a viral YouTube series to the biggest grosser in A24’s history is notable. The movie’s success shows how a small online idea can grow into a major theatrical hit.
The prices have dropped since launch. Whether that matters depends on when you decide to watch.
The bigger picture is that A24’s output deal with Warner Bros. Discovery means its films arrive on HBO Max faster than anywhere else. That arrangement gives the studio an exclusive streaming window.
For anyone who has not seen it, the streaming debut offers a low-friction entry point. For anyone who has, the rental options mean a repeat viewing is possible. The Backrooms have arrived on screens.
See the video the story is built around at Mashable.
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