As the summer draws to a close, eyes are on the scariest season of the year. There are plenty of questions about what to stream when the nights are longer, and kids get ready to go trick-or-treating. “Backrooms” was one of the biggest horrors of 2026, and it’s going to be on HBO Max in time for Halloween.
Becoming A24’s highest-grossing film ever in the production company’s history, “Backrooms” is a psychological horror that has a rich history of scares. So, when can you start watching it at home? Here’s everything you need to know.
‘Backrooms’ Release Date on HBO Max
Get ready for Sept. 25, 2026. “Backrooms” will be available to stream on the HBO Max platform in the United States. This only pertains to the U.S. version of the streamer, with other locations getting individual licensing deals with A24.
If you prefer to watch on the linear channel, the first showing will air on Sept. 26, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET. Of course, if you have HBO Max, you can watch the movie whenever you want, but the channel tends to give that old-school feel.
‘Backrooms’ Has Been a Long Time Coming
GettyThe 2026 psychological horror, which would overtake “Marty Supreme” to become A24’s highest-grossing film ever, was based on Kane Parsons‘ web series originally uploaded in January 2022. While many studios wanted the chance to adapt it into a feature film, it wouldn’t be until 2023 that Parsons would find the right deal, with him directing the movie. Will Soodik wrote the screenplay, replacing Robert Patino on the project, and it wasn’t until July and August of 2025 that filming began.
Since its release, it hasn’t just beaten A24’s own records. “Backrooms” has gone on to make Parsons the youngest filmmaker ever to reach No. 1 at the U.S. box office, has become the second-highest-grossing horror movie of 2026, and the fifth-highest-grossing indie film ever. It’s an impressive accomplishment.
Don’t worry if you followed the web series. Parsons told Variety that the entire project was always planned as a series that “goes outside the confines of this film.” He doesn’t intend to depart from YouTube in any way, and he shared, “I am definitely not done with ‘Backrooms.'”
What Is ‘Backrooms’ About?
“Backrooms” is based on a creepypasta of the same name. The concept started in 2019, with people entering by accidentally “glitching” or “no-clipping” from normal reality. The transition is set to feel strangely familiar but unsettling and lonely.
In the 2026 movie, Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Clark is a struggling furniture owner who heads to his basement to find a dimension that appears infinite with yellow-wallpapered walls. He soon starts to become obsessed with the space, pulling in more people, including his therapist, Dr. Mary Kline, played by Renate Reinsve. The endless space is developed by scanning those who come in, using their memories, trauma, and other mental elements to create a terrifying experience.
Some of the characters are manifestations of inner demons, creating a horrific experience for anyone inside. Those who are able to accept and let go of their pasts are able to finally get out, but those who fail to let go end up becoming stuck and devoured.
