After the success of ‘Backrooms’, many expected director Kane Parsons to become a prime candidate for blockbuster properties such as ‘Star Wars‘ or ‘Star Trek’. The 20-year-old filmmaker, however, has no interest in taking that route.
Speaking during a recent appearance on The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast, Parsons dismissed the idea of stepping into an established franchise universe. Despite directing one of A24’s biggest commercial successes, he indicated that original storytelling remains his primary focus and that he has little desire to build his career around existing intellectual property.
Kane Parsons Rejects The Idea Of Directing ‘Star Wars’
When asked whether he would consider helming a project within a major franchise such as ‘Star Wars’ or ‘Star Trek’, Parsons offered a direct response, “No.”
He later expanded on that answer, explaining that his approach to filmmaking centers on personal expression rather than adapting others’ stories.
“I’m not too interested in IP work,” Parsons said. “I pretty much entirely want to focus on original projects. Just because, I do this because it’s my way of processing life, as is art, and I typically find needing to step into someone else’s view of life tends to just kind of damage the initial point for me,” he added.
The stance is notable given Parsons’ current position in the industry. His feature debut, ‘Backrooms,’ recently outperformed Disney’s ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ at the box office, giving the young director unusual leverage at a stage when many filmmakers would eagerly accept a major franchise assignment.
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One Type Of Existing Property Still Interests Him
Although Parsons largely ruled out franchise filmmaking, he did leave room for a few exceptions.
The director revealed that a handful of properties from his childhood might interest him if they held significant personal meaning. He declined to identify the titles but suggested that they would need to connect directly to his own experiences and creative perspective.
“The only ones I would look at are ones that have shaped my own experience of life so much that I feel like I have something to do with that conversation in the first place,” Parsons explained.
Because Parsons has frequently cited influences ranging from internet culture to games such as ‘Portal’ and ‘Half-Life’, fans have already begun speculating about what those mystery projects could be. He also hinted that conversations involving some of those properties may already be underway.
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He Also Pushed Back Against ‘Backrooms’ Sequel Reports
Parsons is not only cautious about joining other franchises. He also appears reluctant to rush into expanding his own.
Following ‘Backrooms’ impressive $118 million global debut, reports surfaced claiming that a sequel had already entered early development and that Parsons was searching for a new screenwriter. During the podcast appearance, he dismissed those reports outright.
The filmmaker described the story as a “hallucinated” rumor and pushed back against suggestions that a follow-up was in the works.
His comments reinforce a consistent message: Parsons values creative control and originality more than rapid franchise expansion. While studios may view him as one of Hollywood’s hottest young directors, he appears determined to build his career on projects that originate from his own ideas rather than established brands.
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