IN RECENT WEEKS the global box office has been dominated(主导、支配) not by Hollywood veterans(老手、经验丰富的人), but YouTubers in their 20s. “Obsession” is Curry Barker’s second film, made with a minuscule(极小的、微不足道的) budget of under $1m (his first was made for only $800). Since opening in cinemas “Obsession” has grossed(总收入（票房）) $230m. “Backrooms”, meanwhile, is Kane Parsons’s debut(首次亮相、处女作) feature film, adapted from a viral web series. The movie has made over $215m; Mr Parsons has become the youngest-ever film-maker to open a flick in America in the top-grossing spot. What’s behind their breakout success(突破性成功)?
最近几周，全球票房被20多岁的YouTuber主导，而非好莱坞老手。《Obsession》是Curry Barker的第二部电影，预算不到100万美元（他的第一部电影只花了800美元）。自上映以来，《Obsession》已获得2.3亿美元票房。与此同时，《Backrooms》是Kane Parsons的长片处女作，改编自一部病毒式传播的网络系列。该片已赚得超过2.15亿美元；帕森斯成为美国有史以来最年轻的、电影登上票房榜首的电影人。他们突破性成功的背后是什么？
It helps that both films are horror, a genre that still lures(吸引、引诱) people to cinemas. But what is interesting is that these scary movies are appealing to the “anxious generation(焦虑的一代（指Z世代）)”. In the opening weekend nearly 85% of the audience for “Backrooms” was under 35; 75% of those seeing “Obsession” when it opened were aged between 18 and 25. Both films capture some of Gen Z’s fears and fixations (even though the main character in “Backrooms” is middle-aged).
这两部电影都是恐怖片，这一类型仍然吸引人们前往影院，这对其成功有帮助。但有趣的是，这些恐怖电影正在吸引'焦虑的一代'。首周末，《Backrooms》近85%的观众在35岁以下；《Obsession》上映时，75%的观众年龄在18至25岁之间。两部电影都捕捉到了Z世代的一些恐惧和执念（尽管《Backrooms》的主角是中年人）。
One theme is loneliness: the protagonists(主角、主人公) in both films are isolated and unhappy. (A study found that 80% of Gen Z have felt the same way.) In “Backrooms” Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor, pictured) is a divorced and depressed alcoholic. “Obsession” follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a socially awkward man who has unreciprocated feelings(单相思、未回应的感情) for his friend Nikki. One day he buys a novelty talisman(护身符、辟邪物) and wishes that Nikki would love him “more than anyone else in the world”. Wish granted: Nikki becomes disturbingly possessive and violent.
一个主题是孤独：两部电影的主角都孤立且不快乐。（一项研究发现，80%的Z世代有同样的感受。）在《Backrooms》中，Clark（Chiwetel Ejiofor，如图）是一个离异、抑郁的酒鬼。《Obsession》讲述了Bear（Michael Johnston），一个社交尴尬的男人，对朋友Nikki的单恋。有一天他买了一个新奇护身符，许愿Nikki爱他“胜过世上任何人”。愿望成真：Nikki变得令人不安地占有欲强且暴力。