YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Curry Barker is taking the horror film world by storm following his highly anticipated smash-hit Obsession, and has shared that he aims to expand the film’s universe with additional releases.

The supernatural horror film stars Michael Johnston (Teen Wolf and Slash) as a music store worker called Bear who is desperately in love with his close friend and co-worker, Nikki, played by Inde Navarette (Superman & Lois). In an almost childish plea of affection, Bear makes a wish on what he doesn’t know is a powerful supernatural toy with real repercussions for Nikki to return his love to an extreme level. Nikki immediately comes to declare her love and devotion to Bear, but things take a deadly, terrifying turn.

Obsession also stars Cooper Tomlinson (a regular face in Barker’s work), Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter. Following its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, the film had an opening weekend that grossed $17.2 million (beating its initial projection of $10 million). Obsession has now grossed $95.8 million worldwide from a budget of $750,000-$1 million, marking a hugely impressive turnout and looking to be one of horror’s greatest releases this year.

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Barker isn’t taking his foot off the pedal and already has more horror releases lined up, such as Anything But Ghosts. This junior feature film will be another supernatural film focusing on a duo of con men posing as paranormal investigators who accidentally take on a real case of hauntings. The director stated during a post-screening Q&A that Anything But Ghosts will reference the grizzly yet sad events depicted in Obsession’s ending.

“There’s like a news article thing on the next movie where you hear a news anchor talking about a triple homicide [by] a woman,” Barker shared. The ‘woman’ in question is Nikki, and the ‘triple homicide’ is actually the One Wish Willow entity’s murder of Sarah, Ian and Bear’s accidental suicide, all carried out via possessing an unsuspecting Nikki throughout the film.

Anything But Ghosts will see Barker star alongside Tomilson, Aaron Paul, Bryce Dallas Howard and Violet McGraw. Tomilson also holds writing credits, shared with Barker.

Barker’s filmmaking career includes nine short films and his feature debut, Milk and Serial, an unnerving psychological horror about a duo running a prank YouTube channel who take their tricks too far. The director is also set to lead a reboot of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, one of horror’s greatest properties, created by horror maestro Tobe Hooper.

Obsession is in cinemas now. 

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