Will there be 'Backrooms 2' — Here's what we know about a potential sequel of Kane Parson's horror flick
Contains spoilers for 'Backrooms'
Kane Parsons knew how he wanted to end 'Backrooms'. The horror-thriller dropped this weekend to positive critical acclaim, and the focus now on the future of the young director's film. By his own admission, Parsons' planned conclusion was not part of the film. With 'Backrooms' ending on an ambiguous note, the ending implies that the fate of Mary (Renate Reinsve) is uncertain. To add, Phil, an Async scientist and Backrooms researcher (played by Mark Duplass) determines that the doorways to the Backrooms are opening everywhere with Async having no idea how to stop them. This suggests that the films could take anthology route, something Parsons believed to be a possibility.
"When I started the series for 'Backrooms,' I knew where it needed to go," he said, according to USA Today. "I knew what the ending was. You can definitely take an anthology approach to Backrooms," Parsons says. "And there's a few more things, I think, that are certainly worth touching on, and I would love to explore in the feature (film) space." The filmmakers eventual goal is for the move to end as a limited series. "I still feel very adamant that it would need to be a television series," he says. "I don't think you can finish 'Backrooms' as a narrative in a bunch of feature films, and I don't even think it would be a good idea to do that many feature films. I think being specific is good." While A24 hasn't confirmed a sequel, Parsons' comments suggest that the movie will most likely take a series route and an anthology approach. How many seasons, or who the new set of cast — should that be the way forward remains to be seen.
'Backrooms' has been a solid hit with audiences and critics alike. At the time of writing, the horror feature boasts of a healthy 7.6/10 rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics consensus reads: "A startlingly assured feature debut from director Kane Parsons, Backrooms bends the liminal spaces that have haunted the internet for years into a horror film that's as mesmerizing as it is terrifying."
"You can definitely take an anthology approach to Backrooms," Parsons says. "And there's a few more things, I think, that are certainly worth touching on, and I would love to explore in the feature (film) space."
Parsons' ultimate goal, though, is for "Backrooms" to eventually wrap up in a limited TV series.
"I still feel very adamant that it would need to be a television series," he says. "I don't think you can finish 'Backrooms' as a narrative in a bunch of feature films, and I don't even think it would be a good idea to do that many feature films. I think being specific is good."
