Horror is now cool: Rome’s MIA hunts the next Obsession
Key Takeaway: Industry figures at Rome’s MIA Market discussed horror’s renewed prominence as a meeting point between creative risk and commercial success, amid the box-office performances of Obsession and Backrooms.
A panel at Rome’s MIA Market examined horror’s renewed prominence in the film business. The session, titled ‘Fear Not: How Horror Is Rewriting the Film Market’, examined horror’s renewed centrality and its connection to creative risk, authorial identity, community and commercial success.
The session brought together Andrea Romeo, founder and CEO of Wonder Pictures, TIFF Midnight Madness programmer Peter Kuplowsky, IFC and Shudder acquisitions and productions manager Rachael Labes, Italian director Roberto De Feo and Signature Entertainment’s Jonny Bunning, according to The Hollywood Reporter. MIA Market’s official programme and daily schedule list the talk for 11:00 on 21 October at the Hotel Westin Excelsior in Rome.
Italy’s answer to Kane Parsons
Andrea Romeo used the session to set Italy a challenge: find the country’s own answer to the YouTube-bred directors behind the genre’s two biggest hits. Romeo wants an Italian breakout, and the Wonder Pictures founder added that he hopes that filmmaker turns out to be a woman.
Romeo argued that Italian creators currently aim to work in English, and that the country needs to build a domestic horror culture so its own stories can travel, according to The Hollywood Reporter. De Feo pointed to Paolo Strippoli’s The Spiral, described by THR as a campy Italian horror thriller that bowed in Venice, as an early sign of that shift, with THR noting it is potentially in awards contention.
The official programme describes the session as an examination of how horror moved from a genre once dismissed as B-movie exploitation into a meeting point between creative risk, popular storytelling and box-office success. MIA Market’s 12th edition runs from 19 to 23 October in Rome.
Why horror is winning
The numbers explain the industry’s enthusiasm. Obsession passed $400 million worldwide on a $750,000 budget, according to The Hollywood Reporter, making it Focus Features’ highest-grossing release. The film’s path from YouTube origins to theatrical phenomenon has become the template buyers now chase.
On Backrooms, the reported totals differ by source and date. THR reported on 21 October that the film had crossed $350 million globally and become A24’s highest-grossing title in a number of countries, while September coverage from Hypebeast put its worldwide total past $400 million. Both figures are shown in the table above with their sources.
Panelists credited the rebound of US theatrical attendance and the appeal of watching horror with a crowd, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Kuplowsky linked the genre’s surge to audiences rediscovering communal viewing, while Labes said comedy-infused horror is widening the audience, arguing that today’s films can frighten viewers and still be fun, a change from a decade of harsher titles, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Romeo argued that Italy should develop its own horror talent, pointing to Kane Parsons as a model, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Key Story Metrics
| Figure | Reported Status |
|---|---|
| Obsession, worldwide gross | Over $400 million (THR, 21 Oct 2026) |
| Obsession, production budget | $750,000 (THR, 21 Oct 2026) |
| Obsession, studio record | Focus Features’ highest-grossing release (THR, 21 Oct 2026) |
| Backrooms, worldwide gross | Over $350 million (THR, 21 Oct 2026) |
| Backrooms, worldwide gross, alternate report | Over $400 million (Hypebeast, Sept 2026) |
✓ Verified
The panel “Fear Not: How Horror Is Rewriting the Film Market” was listed in MIA Market’s 2026 programme and daily schedule for 11:00 on 21 October 2026 at the Hotel Westin Excelsior in Rome. The published daily schedule names four speakers: Roberto De Feo, Rachael Labes, Peter Kuplowsky and Andrea Romeo. It does not list Jonny Bunning. Obsession grossed over $400 million worldwide on a $750,000 budget, per The Hollywood Reporter, becoming Focus Features’ highest-grossing release. THR reported Backrooms crossed $350 million globally; September coverage from Hypebeast reported it had passed $400 million.
⚠ Still needs confirmation
Claims about the film’s awards prospects, Curry Barker’s next film and a possible Obsession sequel require verification against the relevant THR coverage.
Editor’s note: This article is based on panel reporting from Rome’s MIA Market and published box-office coverage. Figures are shown with their sources and dates.
