There are folktales and legends, and then there are urban legends. They continue to scare and haunt many 80s and 90s kids for years to come. A great example of this is Creepypasta, which triggered a row of fictional horror stories. One such case was the ‘Backrooms,’ which eventually inspired the upcoming 2026 movie.
It is interesting how A24 took this urban legend and turned it into a complete scarefest. The movie takes this myth and elevates the fear quotient, but here’s the catch. It isn’t your usual horror tale, no. Rather, it
The Creepypasta Legend That Haunted 90s Kids For Decades
Back in the 2000s, Creepypasta would give any reader or internet user the chills. The stories were all fictional yet deeply disturbing and unsettling, but catchy.
They even went on to make movies on it, such as Slender Man, but there’s nothing more insidious and ominous than the Backrooms. No creatures, no ghouls, no anomalies, just pure blank space.
It is very similar to the no-clipping phenomenon in video games, where the player has no escape and is trapped in a liminal space. The space is all yellow and wide, but when did it all start exactly?
Well, the photo dates back to 2002 in Wisconsin, where an area was being renovated. It was the second floor of a furniture store, and what followed was everyone posting videos and animations of the space as a result.
It was digitally altered, and what happened eventually was a myth started. The myth said that if one were not careful, one would be infinitely trapped in the space.
To add to the horror quotient, 4chan lore would add monsters to different levels. As time passed, it became a well-known urban legend alongside Slender Man, Smile Dog, and so on. Kane Parsons’ 2026 movie takes it up a notch with its psychological horror, and here’s why it works so brilliantly.
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Backrooms Is A Meticulous Psychological Horror Masterpiece
If you’re not a fan of enclosed spaces, look away. This movie is a complete nightmare for someone who clearly has agoraphobia. It all starts with Clark venturing out into his new warehouse.
He finds himself being pulled into the eerie nature of what lies beyond the walls. Is it a parallel universe or is it another dimension? We really don’t know except that some places are better left unexplored.
What follows is his therapist, Mary, who sets out to search for him. There is no trace of him and no loose threads to pick up the investigation’s trail. She ends up getting trapped, and in the end, they must find a way to escape.
The only exception being, there might be something way more sinister that lies beyond the dimensions. Parsons, for those who don’t know, directed this film after working on a web series regarding the same. It is his passion project, which is evident in the use of filming techniques.
The retro clips would remind you of the 90s disposable camera and the evidence on creepypasta. It adds to the eeriness and heightens the disturbing nature of the movie.
What makes this movie unsettling is that it doesn’t use conventional jump scares—no! The trailer itself opens with a monotonous piano key that’s sure to give you goosebumps.
It ends with a complete blackout, elevating the mystery and the enigma of the very backdoors one must avoid at all costs! The movie is a must-watch if you love psychological horror, but also if you’re an ardent fan of urban myths and lore!
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