A24 has officially selected 19-year-old Kane Parsons—creator of the viral YouTube series The Backrooms—to helm the studio’s upcoming feature film adaptation, making him the youngest director in A24’s history.
Kane Parsons rose to fame with his eerie found-footage shorts—most notably The Backrooms (Found Footage)—which have collectively exceeded 44 million views. Earlier this year, A24 secured the rights to expand his viral series into a full-length thriller, crediting Parsons as director over his summer vacation from school.
Though the plot is still under wraps, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve are currently tapped to lead the cast.
Parsons, already praised for his creative vision and technical expertise, collaborates with an esteemed team: Roberto Patino (Westworld, DMZ) will write the screenplay, while notable producers include Shawn Levy (21 Laps), James Wan (Atomic Monster), Peter Chernin, and Chernin Entertainment.
Co-financing partners include Atomic Monster and 21 Laps, reaffirming A24’s commitment to bold, innovative filmmakers.
At 19, Parsons becomes the youngest filmmaker to direct for A24—a studio revered for releasing Moonlight, The Witch, and Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once.
With The Backrooms, A24 isn’t just adapting a viral horror concept—it’s empowering a teenage auteur to lead. At just 19, Kane Parsons’s feature-film debut could redefine youth-driven cinema and spotlight a new wave of digital-native directors. This summer’s production could mark the start of a thrilling new chapter in genre filmmaking.
