The latest box office champion, aka Obsession, has toppled the horror legend. The record stood unchallenged for over five decades. For the first time, William Friedkin’s landmark 1973 film has been commercially surpassed by the low-budget 2026 phenomenon.
Obsession beats The Exorcist at global box office
Obsession has surged to $443.3 million in worldwide ticket sales, officially overtaking The Exorcist and its $430.8 million lifetime unadjusted gross. The film pulled off this feat while streaming simultaneously on Peacock and premium video-on-demand services, making the theatrical haul even more remarkable (via Box Office Mojo).
Focus Features acquired Curry Barker’s supernatural thriller for $14 million after its festival bow. The studio then watched a $750,000 production transform into 2026’s most unexpected juggernaut following a May release. Barker’s story centres on a hopeless romantic who uses a magic stick called One Wish Willow, playfully hoping that his crush would like him back. But that desire instead unleashes devastating consequences. Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter bring the chilling tale to life.
Moreover, Obsession’s impact stretches far beyond ticket stubs. Barker first cultivated his following on YouTube before leaping to features, carving the same path as Backrooms director Kane Parsons. Both filmmakers released theatrical knockouts this year, solidifying the YouTube-to-Hollywood pipeline as a credible factory for blockbuster talent. The industry’s heaviest hitters have taken notice too. Christopher Nolan has declared that Obsession “works like a motherf**ker,” and it has edged him to make a horror movie.
Conversations around the film now extend into consent, meme culture, and the growing power of young filmmakers to shape mainstream cinema. Meanwhile, The Exorcist’s legacy remains secure. Friedkin’s classic became the first horror film ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and remains one of cinema’s most influential works. The torch, however, has officially been passed at the box office. Obsession is now playing in theaters and is also available on premium video-on-demand platforms.
