A24's 'Backrooms' tops the charts with historic earnings as new releases line up for June
Category: Arts & Culture
The UK and Ireland box office experienced a historic milestone as A24’s psychological horror film Backrooms opened to an impressive £4.2 million ($5.7 million) on its debut weekend, marking the biggest opening in A24’s history for the territory, according to Variety.
This remarkable opening weekend set a new record for A24 and positioned Backrooms as the top horror film opener of 2026 so far. Following closely, Disney’s The Mandalorian and Grogu secured the second spot with $3.5 million in its sophomore weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $15.2 million after ten days in theaters.
Meanwhile, Universal’s biographical musical drama Michael ranked third, adding $2.3 million to its total, which now stands at $64.7 million in the UK. The film has been well-received, maintaining a steady presence in cinemas since its release.
In fourth place, Curry Barker’s horror-romance Obsession earned $2.1 million in its third weekend, resulting in a cumulative total of $9.2 million. Disney’s The Devil Wears Prada 2 rounded out the top five, pulling in $1.1 million, which brings its total to $43.3 million.
Other notable performances included Sony’s The Sheep Detectives, which was sixth with $957,622, and Black Bear’s Tuner, which debuted at number seven with $486,660. Universal’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie continued to thrive in its ninth week, adding $298,387 to its total of $51.2 million.
Lionsgate U.K.’s Power Ballad, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, debuted at number nine with $274,191, and rounding out the top ten was Passenger, which earned $199,478 for a total of $1 million.
Looking ahead, the upcoming theatrical frame is set to feature highly anticipated releases including the live-action adaptation of Masters Of The Universe from Sony Pictures, which is slated to launch in over 300 locations on June 3. Other new entries arriving on June 5 include the revival of the parody franchise Scary Movie, Savage House, and the Welsh biopic Madfabulous.
The excitement doesn’t stop there. On June 7, CinemaLive will present Riverdance for its 25th Anniversary Show, and other films such as The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act will also be hitting theaters.
As the summer season approaches, cinema-goers will have a wide variety of options to choose from, ensuring that the box office remains vibrant. The anticipation surrounding these new releases is expected to drive ticket sales even higher.
In addition to the impressive box office figures, Backrooms has also performed exceptionally well internationally, grossing $118 million globally, with $36 million coming from international markets. This success has been attributed to its strong reception across various territories, including Latin America, Australia/New Zealand, and the Middle East.
The film's performance has outstripped other horror openings like Scream 7, which had previously held records for the genre. Notably, Backrooms grossed $5.6 million in the UK, making it the highest grossing opening for an A24 title and the best horror opening of the year to date.
As the film continues to expand into new markets, including Spain, Russia, and the Philippines, industry analysts are keeping a close eye on its potential to break additional records.
On the other hand, The Mandalorian and Grogu remains a formidable contender, especially in international markets, where it has amassed a total of $246.6 million globally. The film is performing strongly in multiple countries, including France, Germany, and Australia, where it has become the top non-local release.
The box office dynamics in the UK and Ireland suggest a competitive summer ahead, with films like Backrooms and The Mandalorian and Grogu vying for audience attention. As the industry continues to recover from the pandemic, the influx of new releases and the resurgence of box office revenues signal a positive trend for cinema.
In the coming weeks, industry stakeholders will be closely monitoring audience reactions and box office trends as more films debut. As cinemas prepare for a busy summer, the excitement surrounding both new releases and established hits promises to keep audiences engaged.
With the film calendar filling up rapidly, it is clear that 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for the UK and Ireland box office.