The Backrooms is the internet’s favorite yellow-tinted nightmare, and while your kid might be used to the lo-fi YouTube version or the Roblox clones, the upcoming A24 film is set to turn that eerie vibe into a full-blown psychological horror event. If they’re "streaming the Backrooms," they’re likely watching found-footage lore on YouTube or a streamer screaming at jump-scares in an indie game—but the movie will be a much more intense, atmospheric beast.
The Backrooms is a viral "creepypasta" about an endless maze of empty, yellow-carpeted office rooms. Most kids engage with it through the Kane Pixels YouTube series or by watching creators like CaseOh play horror games based on the lore. The upcoming Backrooms movie from A24 will release as a high-concept psychological horror film directed by the original teen creator, and it’s expected to lean into dread and isolation rather than the "gamey" fun of the internet versions.
The Backrooms didn't start with a big studio; it started with a 16-year-old named Kane Parsons. His short film, The Backrooms (Found Footage), went viral because it nailed a very specific feeling: liminality. That’s the "uncanny valley" of architecture—places that look familiar but feel wrong because they’re empty, like a mall at 3 a.m. or a school hallway during summer break.
If your kid is watching these videos, they’re engaging with a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling. There’s very little gore, but the tension is thick. The "monsters" (often spindly, distorted figures) are secondary to the feeling of being trapped in a never-ending 1990s office building. It’s "brain rot" adjacent for some, but for many, it’s a gateway into film theory and digital art
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When kids talk about "streaming the Backrooms," they usually aren't talking about a Netflix show. They’re talking about one of two things:
- Twitch/YouTube Streamers: Watching creators play indie horror games like The Backrooms 1998 or Escape the Backrooms. These are high-energy, loud, and full of jump-scares. It’s the digital equivalent of a haunted house.
- Social Worlds: There are thousands of Backrooms-themed rooms in Roblox. In these versions, the dread is replaced by social play—kids running through the maze together, trying to "clip" through walls to find secret levels.
If they love the building aspect of these mazes but you want to move them toward something more creative and less "creepy," point them toward Minecraft Creative Mode or Terraria.
The upcoming A24 film is the big pivot. A24 is the studio behind Hereditary and Everything Everywhere All At Once, so they don't do "cheap." They’ve tapped Kane Parsons himself to direct, which is a massive win for internet-to-film crossovers.
Based on the production pedigree, this movie will likely release with a focus on psychological horror. While the YouTube videos are PG-13 in spirit (mostly just "scary vibes"), an A24 theatrical release is expected to push into more mature territory. It won't be a Roblox game come to life; it will likely be a heavy, existential nightmare about isolation. If your kid is under 12 and loves the "fun" side of the Backrooms, the movie might be a much sharper turn into "actually terrifying" than they’re used to.
The Backrooms is part of a larger trend called "Analog Horror." It uses the aesthetics of old VHS tapes, grainy security footage, and outdated technology to create a sense of nostalgia mixed with fear. For kids who grew up in a world of high-def everything, there’s something fascinating about this "low-fi" mystery.
It’s also a "collaborative" myth. Like Slender Man before it, the Backrooms lore is written by thousands of people online. There are "levels," "entities," and "factions." It’s an massive exercise in world-building. If your kid is deep into the "levels" of the Backrooms, they’re basically doing unstructured literacy practice—reading wikis, watching lore deep-dives, and debating the "logic" of a fictional universe.
The Backrooms isn't "bad" for kids, but it can be unsettling. It taps into a fear of abandonment and the infinite. If your kid is getting a little too obsessed or seems genuinely anxious after watching, it’s worth a quick check-in.
The conversation starter: "What’s the scariest level you’ve seen so far? Is it the monsters, or just the idea of being stuck in a room with no windows?"
Often, they’ll tell you it’s the mystery they like, not the fear. Understanding the difference between "fun-scary" (the Roblox game) and "dread-scary" (the upcoming movie) is the key to helping them navigate it.
Q: What age is the Backrooms movie appropriate for? The A24 movie hasn't received an official rating yet, but based on the studio's history, it will likely be PG-13 or R. It is expected to be a psychological horror film, which is a big jump in intensity from the YouTube videos.
Q: Is the Backrooms on Netflix or Disney+? No, the Backrooms is not a formal series on any major streaming platform. It lives almost entirely on YouTube (via creators like Kane Pixels) and in user-generated games on Roblox.
Q: Why is my kid obsessed with "liminal spaces"? Liminal spaces are places that feel "between" destinations. Kids find them fascinating because they tap into a specific internet aesthetic that feels lonely but peaceful. It’s a visual style that has become a cornerstone of Gen Z and Gen Alpha internet culture.
Q: Are there Backrooms books? There isn't one "official" book, as the lore is community-written. However, if they like the vibe of a weird, shifting house or maze, they should try House of Leaves (for older teens) or The Maze Runner.
The Backrooms is a rare example of a "safe" internet horror trend that is actually quite creative. The YouTube series is a marvel of independent filmmaking, and the games are mostly harmless social fun. Just keep an eye on the A24 movie—it’s set to be a much more "adult" version of the maze than the one they’ve been playing in.
- Explore our best YouTube channels for kids to find more creative creators.
- Check out our digital guide for middle schoolers to see how horror fits into their social world.
- Find more games like the ones in this guide