The wait is over: the "yellow wallpaper" movie is finally hitting theaters, and if your middle schooler has spent the last three years obsessing over liminal spaces and "found footage" on YouTube, May 2026 is going to be a very loud month in your house. The headliner is obviously A24’s The Backrooms, which marks a massive shift in how horror moves from the internet to the big screen, but it’s not the only thing bumping in the night this month.
TL;DR: May 2026 is the month of "Internet Horror" going mainstream with the release of The Backrooms, a psychological thriller that trades traditional gore for high-anxiety "liminal space" dread. While it’s likely the safest bet for teens compared to the more intense The Conjuring: Last Rites, parents should be ready for a surge in "lore" hunting on YouTube and TikTok. Screenwise suggests The Backrooms for ages 12+ and The Conjuring: Last Rites for ages 16+ due to its more aggressive supernatural themes.
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See allIf you feel like you’ve missed a memo, here’s the deal: The Backrooms started as a "creepypasta" (an internet horror story) about an endless, nonsensical maze of empty office rooms with damp carpet and buzzing fluorescent lights. It became a global phenomenon thanks to a then-16-year-old creator named Kane Pixels, whose short films on YouTube looked so real they went viral instantly.
Now, A24 and James Wan have turned it into a full-scale feature film. For kids, this isn't just a movie; it’s the "final boss" of a digital subculture they’ve lived in for years through Roblox mods and lore deep-dives. It’s horror that feels like a glitch in the world, which is way more interesting to Gen Alpha and Gen Z than another masked slasher.
This is the one your kids are likely begging to see. Directed by Kane Parsons (the original YouTube creator), it stays true to the "found footage" aesthetic.
- The Vibe: Existential dread, loneliness, and the feeling that something is watching you from just around the corner.
- The Content: Expect very little blood but a lot of tension. The "monsters" are spindly, unnatural entities that move in ways that trigger a "uncanny valley" response.
- Screenwise Wisdom: If your kid can handle a high-tension game of hide-and-seek, they can probably handle this. It’s more about the vibe than the violence.
The Warrens are back for what is being billed as the final main entry in the Conjuring universe.
- The Vibe: Classic, high-budget supernatural horror. Think demonic possession, jump scares that make you spill your popcorn, and heavy religious themes.
- The Content: This is a significant step up in intensity from The Backrooms. It deals with possession and spiritual warfare, which can be much more disturbing for younger kids or those sensitive to religious imagery.
- Screenwise Wisdom: Screenwise typically recommends this for older teens (16+). It’s designed to be scary in a visceral, "don't turn off the lights" kind of way.
A spin-off of the Insidious franchise that leans into the "be careful what you wish for" trope with a tech-heavy twist.
- The Vibe: Fast-paced and jump-scare heavy. It follows a couple who use a spell to travel back in time to prevent their daughter's death, only to mess up the "Further" (the franchise's spirit realm).
- The Content: Standard PG-13 horror fare—lots of loud noises and "gotcha" moments.
- Screenwise Wisdom: Good for a "first horror movie" experience for 13-14 year olds who want a thrill without the deep psychological scarring of more experimental films.
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It’s easy to look at a movie about yellow office hallways and think, "This is just brain rot." But there’s actually something pretty cool happening here.
- Community Lore: Horror is the new "social currency." Kids don't just watch The Backrooms; they discuss theories, build the maps in Minecraft, and create their own "analog horror" clips. It’s participatory.
- Safe Spikes in Adrenaline: Adolescence is a time of seeking new sensations. Horror movies provide a controlled environment to experience fear and practice emotional regulation.
- Visual Literacy: The "found footage" style of The Backrooms teaches kids about perspective, lighting, and how media can be manipulated to feel "real."
The biggest concern with May 2026's horror slate isn't necessarily the 90 minutes in the theater—it's the three weeks of YouTube rabbit holes that follow.
When a kid gets into a movie like The Backrooms, the algorithm starts feeding them increasingly darker "analog horror" content. Some of this is brilliant art; some of it is "shock horror" designed to bypass safety filters.
According to Screenwise data, about 45% of middle schoolers report seeing something "unexpectedly scary" on social media after searching for a movie trailer. It’s worth checking in on what their "For You" page looks like a few days after seeing the film.
Learn more about managing YouTube's recommendation algorithm
Instead of asking "Was it too scary?", try these:
- "How did the director make those empty rooms feel so creepy without any monsters on screen?" (Builds media literacy)
- "Why do you think everyone on the internet is so obsessed with liminal spaces right now?" (Gets them thinking about cultural trends)
- "If you were stuck in the Backrooms, what’s the one piece of tech you’d want with you?" (Fun, low-stakes hypothetical)
Q: Is "The Backrooms" movie okay for a 10-year-old? Generally, no. While it lacks gore, the intense psychological dread and "uncanny" monsters are designed to be deeply unsettling. Screenwise recommends waiting until at least age 12, depending on your child's maturity.
Q: What is the difference between "The Backrooms" and "The Conjuring"? The Backrooms is psychological and "vibe-based" horror (existential dread), whereas The Conjuring: Last Rites is traditional supernatural horror (demons, jump scares, and religious themes). The latter is much more "intense."
Q: Are there Backrooms games my kid can play instead of seeing the movie? Yes, there are dozens of "Backrooms" experiences on Roblox and Steam. They vary wildly in quality, so check the reviews on Screenwise before letting them download.
Q: Why is everyone calling everything "Ohio" or "Skibidi" in relation to these movies? It’s just Gen Alpha slang for "weird" or "cringe." If they call a monster "Skibidi," they’re basically saying it’s weirdly funny or internet-coded. Don't overthink it; the slang changes faster than the movie trailers do.
May 2026 is a milestone for digital culture. Seeing The Backrooms transition from a 16-year-old's bedroom project to an A24 blockbuster is a "proud parent" moment for the internet.
If your teen is into it, lean in. It’s a much more creative, thought-provoking brand of horror than the mindless slashers we grew up with. Just keep an eye on the YouTube deep-dives afterward, and maybe leave a hall light on for a night or two—just in case.
- Check the WISE score: Head over to the The Backrooms media page to see how other intentional parents are rating the "scare factor."
- Review the Lore: If you want to be the "cool parent," watch the original Kane Pixels short film (it's only 9 minutes) before you take them to the theater.
- Set Boundaries: Decide now if The Conjuring: Last Rites is a "wait until streaming" movie for your family.
Ask Screenwise for a personalized horror movie recommendation for your teen