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Not every blockbuster needs a massive studio behind it. Sometimes, all it takes is a good idea, a small team, and a story that keeps people up at night. Curry Barker's debut horror film, Obsession, is proof of exactly that.

From Toronto To Top Of The Charts

Obsession had a quiet beginning. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before arriving in theatres on May 15. Made on a budget of just $750,000 (roughly Rs 7 crore), no one could have predicted what was coming next. In just over ten days, the film has pulled in $80 million (over Rs 750 crore) at the worldwide box office. That works out to a profit of over 10,000 per cent, making it the most profitable release of 2026, not just in India, not just in Hollywood, but anywhere.

To put things in perspective: Michael, one of this year's biggest Hollywood spectacles, has earned $788 million globally but that is only about five times its budget. Project Hail Mary stands at $675 million, roughly three times what it cost to make. Even Bollywood's own Dhurandhar 2, which crossed $200 million worldwide, earned around 17 times its investment. Obsession, on the other hand, has already returned 100 times its landing cost and is still running.

What Is Obsession About?

The film was written, directed, and edited by Barker himself, and stars Michael Johnston as Bear, a music store employee who gets his hands on a supernatural toy. The toy grants him his wish of having his childhood friend Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette, fall in love with him. What follows, as the film makes clear, is far from the fairy tale he imagined.

The reviews have been positive, and word of mouth appears to be doing the rest. Obsession earned $16 million in its opening weekend in North America, and that number actually went up in its second weekend to $22 million. It has also earned $21 million from markets outside North America. If it crosses the $100 million-mark, Obsession will join a very short list. Only two films made for under $1 million have ever crossed that threshold: Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project. It is well on its way to becoming the third.