Two low-budget horror films directed by 20-somethings—Obsession and Backrooms—have shattered box office records and proven Gen Z will flock to theaters for events made by and for their generation. Kyle Buchanan explains how YouTube-trained filmmakers beat Hollywood at its own game, generating hundreds of millions in revenue and reviving the moviegoing habit industry executives thought was dead. Obsession and Backrooms, made for under $10 million combined, grossed hundreds of millions globally by tapping into Gen Z anxieties about consent, relationships, and social belonging that franchise films ignore.