Wild New Horror Movie Is 1 of 2026’s Most Profitable Films Already

Obsession just did something satisfying at the box office that almost no horror movie ever does. The film’s second weekend numbers reveal a historic run fueled by word of mouth and a jaw-dropping budget-to-earnings ratio.

Obsession’s second weekend box office is even better than its opening

The horror film Obsession posted a stunning second weekend at the box office. The Focus Features and Blumhouse Productions title earned $22.4 million in its second three-day frame, per Box Office Mojo.

That number represents a roughly 30% jump over its $17.1 million domestic opening weekend. The four-day Memorial Day holiday stretch pushed that total even higher to $28 million. Obsession has now crossed $58 million domestically and $79.8 million at the global box office.

Those returns look even more staggering against the film’s tiny production budget. Director Curry Barker previously revealed to The New Yorker that Obsession cost just $750,000 to make. Other reports have placed the budget at up to $1 million. Either way, the film has now earned more than 75 times its reported cost worldwide. At this pace, it could arguably become the most profitable movie of 2026.

Overwhelming word of mouth from both critics and general audiences keeps driving ticket sales higher. The film currently holds a 95% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from over 100 reviews. That sustained buzz helped produce the rare feat of a second-weekend increase. Most horror films see steep drops after their debut, making this performance especially notable.

Obsession shared the Memorial Day corridor with holdovers like Michael, The Devil Wears Prada 2, and Mortal Kombat 2. Despite that competition, the horror hit posted massive day-over-day gains over its first frame. Saturday earnings surged 58.6% while Sunday climbed 60.9% over their prior week counterparts.

The film stars Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette in a dark romance about desire gone wrong. Obsession first screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, where Focus Features acquired distribution rights for $15 million.

Obsession is now running in theaters.

Source: Comingsoon.net