The independent horror film Obsession has grossed $404.4 million worldwide, surpassing the lifetime totals of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, according to box office data reported by July 8, 2026, per movieweb.com.
Made for $750,000, Obsession has earned 539 times its production budget since its US release on May 15. The film opened in 2,615 theatres and took $17 million on its debut weekend, before word of mouth drove its domestic total to $246.2 million.
Focus Features acquired worldwide rights to the film for an estimated $15 million at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last September. That figure marked the highest price paid for a genre film in the festival’s history.
By comparison, Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, released on June 12 with a $115 million budget, has grossed $217 million globally. Its US opening of $44 million was followed by a sharp decline, with a domestic multiplier of 2.37x.
Obsession has also overtaken Prometheus, Scott’s 2012 Alien prequel. After 53 days in theatres, the indie title’s $404.4 million total edges past Prometheus’ $403.4 million, which was achieved on a $130 million budget.
The performance continues a trend of low-budget horror films achieving outsized returns, following titles such as Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project. Industry analysts note that 2026 has seen several smaller releases outperform major studio titles, with June proving particularly competitive.
Director Curry Barker, also the film’s writer, is one of several YouTube filmmakers moving into mainstream cinema. Recent successes including Iron Lung and Backrooms, directed by Mark Edward Fischbach and Kane Parsons respectively, have prompted studios to pursue further adaptations from online creators.
Obsession, rated R, runs 108 minutes and stars Michael Johnston as Bear and Inde Navarrette as Nikki. Producers include Christian Mercuri, James Harris, Roman Viaris and Haley Nicole Johnson.
•Featured image credit: 20th Century Fox