Backrooms creator and director Kane Parsons is distancing himself from reports that A24 has been issuing copyright claims against artwork and projects inspired by the original Backrooms internet phenomenon.
The 21-year-old filmmaker responded directly on Reddit after users alleged that artwork and indie games tied to the long-running creepypasta had been targeted by takedown requests linked to A24.
One Reddit user claimed that Redbubble removed artwork that recreated the iconic yellow wallpaper pattern from the original 2019 Backrooms image after receiving a complaint from A24 Films LLC.
“I find it disappointing to see a company attempt to claim such a broad connection to a concept that has been developed, shared, and loved by an online community for years,” the user wrote.
Parsons quickly replied to the thread.
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“I’m looking into this. Should not be happening.”
Others have reported similar issues, including indie developer Davilkus Games, which said its mobile title Exit the Backrooms: Level 94 had to be renamed Liminal Complex: Level 94 after Google’s impersonation policy flagged the original title. According to the developer, several other indie creators have encountered comparable problems.
The controversy comes as Backrooms continues its remarkable theatrical run. Inspired by Parsons’ viral YouTube series, itself based on the internet’s collaborative Backrooms mythos, the A24 film has become the studio’s biggest box office success, earning more than $368 million worldwide on a reported $10 million budget.
The Backrooms concept began with a single image posted on 4chan in 2019 and quickly evolved into one of the internet’s largest collaborative horror universes, with thousands of creators contributing stories, artwork, games, and videos over the years.
Parsons has frequently acknowledged the community as the foundation of his own work, making his response notable to fans concerned about preserving the open nature of the Backrooms mythology.
Despite the controversy, Parsons has made it clear the franchise is far from over. “I think this is a world-building exercise on top of what I’ve already done,” he recently told Rolling Stone. “I’m well into it, and plan on certainly continuing it. Backrooms is not done!”
