YouTubers-turned-directors Kane Parsons ("Backrooms") and Curry Barker ("Obsession")
LISA O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty Images; Brianna Bryson/FilmMagic via Getty Images
Hollywood is hungry for new breakthrough films and talent. Is YouTube the next place to mine for popular IP and filmmaking stars?YouTuber-helmed horror hits "Obsession" and "Backrooms" beat Disney's "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" this past weekend in ticket sales.They build on an earlier box office darling, "Iron Lung," from YouTuber "Markiplier" (Mark Edward Fischbach), and show how a digital creator with a small budget can draw movie theater crowds.Hollywood is beginning to make bets on YouTube creators, and industry insiders say horror films like these, as well as comedy, will lead the way because they're cheaper to produce and can be box-office draws.Large-scale investments remain rare due to the limited number of creators with proven directing and writing experience. In making the leap to film, follower counts don't always translate to Hollywood success, said Kai Gayoso, a managing partner at Range Media. Talent and storytelling chops carry more weight.Digital media has produced TV stars like Issa Rae and hits like "Broad City." As more filmmakers emerge from social media, executives expect new ideas and franchises to originate online.
