A24 Drops Full 'Backrooms' Trailer Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve

4chan legend goes mainstream, sparking wild fan theories.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:38pm

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A24 has released the full trailer for their upcoming horror film 'Backrooms', which stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. The film is based on the viral 'Backrooms' creepypasta that originated on 4chan in 2019 and has since been expanded upon in a popular YouTube series. The trailer showcases the film's unsettling atmosphere and hints at the mysterious mythology surrounding the Backrooms.

Why it matters

The 'Backrooms' concept has captured the imagination of horror fans online, and the A24 adaptation represents a major mainstream breakthrough for an internet-born horror myth. The film's success could pave the way for more creepypasta-inspired projects to make the leap to big-budget productions.

The details

The 'Backrooms' trailer shows Ejiofor's character, Clark, discovering a doorway in his furniture showroom that leads to an endless maze of moist carpet, buzzing fluorescent lights, and monotonous yellow walls. Reinsve plays his therapist who is initially skeptical but is then drawn into the mystery herself. The trailer teases the unsettling atmosphere of the Backrooms without revealing too much about the underlying mythology, which was first established in a 2019 4chan post and later expanded upon in a popular YouTube series by Kane Pixels.

  • On May 12, 2019, an anonymous user posted the original 'Backrooms' image on the 4chan /x/ paranormal board.
  • Kane Parsons, known online as Kane Pixels, uploaded the first video in his 'Backrooms' YouTube series on January 7, 2022.
  • A24, Chernin Entertainment, James Wan's Atomic Monster, and Shawn Levy's 21 Laps announced the 'Backrooms' feature adaptation in February 2023.
  • Filming took place in Vancouver in the summer of 2025.
  • The 'Backrooms' film is set to open in US theaters on May 29, 2026.

The players

Chiwetel Ejiofor

An acclaimed British actor known for films like '12 Years a Slave' and 'The Martian', who plays the lead role of Clark in the 'Backrooms' film.

Renate Reinsve

A Norwegian actress who received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her performance in the 2021 film 'Sentimental Value', and who plays the therapist character in 'Backrooms'.

Kane Pixels

The 19-year-old YouTuber who created the popular 'Backrooms' video series that helped bring the concept to mainstream attention.

A24

The independent film studio behind acclaimed horror projects like 'Hereditary' and 'Midsommar', which is producing the 'Backrooms' feature film.

Atomic Monster

The production company founded by horror director James Wan, which is co-producing the 'Backrooms' film.

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What they’re saying

“The trailer is the right call executed correctly. It shows you just enough. Ejiofor in the maze. Reinsve bloodied in a hallway. A group of people with cameras documenting what they've found, and the creeping implication that the longer you stay the less you understand. It does not explain the mythology. That's the point.”

— Emma Loggins, Author

“Kane Parsons, known online as Kane Pixels, uploaded the first video in his Backrooms series to YouTube on January 7, 2022, at 19 years old. The found-footage style shorts collectively crossed 200 million views and pulled the concept from niche creepypasta circles into mainstream awareness.”

— Emma Loggins, Author

What’s next

The film is set to open in US theaters on May 29, 2026, and early test screenings have reportedly drawn strong reactions, with praise centered on the lead performances and the film's ability to expand the 'Backrooms' mythology without losing the concept's unsettling appeal.

The takeaway

The 'Backrooms' film represents a significant milestone for internet-born horror, taking a concept that originated as a creepypasta on 4chan and transforming it into a big-budget A24 production with acclaimed actors. This breakthrough could pave the way for more online horror stories to make the leap to the mainstream, blurring the line between niche internet phenomena and Hollywood blockbusters.