Focus Features acquired “Obsession“, a low-budget horror film from a YouTube-famous first-time director. Curry Barker. The deal reportedly closed for $14 million.
Barker wrote and directed Whiplash in his feature debut. The film, which premiered at midnight at the Toronto International Film Festival, is about a hopeless romantic who makes a Faustian bargain to win the heart of his lover. A twisted take on the saying “be careful what you wish for” Barker previously told Diversity this inspiration came from watching an episode of The Simpsons where “Bart Takes a Monkey's Paw and Causes Mayhem.”
Focus Features will release Whiplash in theaters in 2026. Universal Pictures International is set to handle overseas distribution in all territories except France, New Zealand and Russia.
Whiplash stars Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless and Andy Richter. Producers are James Harris of Teashop Productions, Hayley Nicole Johnson of Under the Shell and Christian Mercuri of Capstone Pictures. Capstone represented worldwide rights and fully financed the project. CAA Media Finance represented domestic rights with Capstone.
Barker came onto Hollywood's radar with the 2024 micro-budget short film Milk and Serial, which became a viral hit after he released the film for free on YouTube. He's already lined up his next project, Everything But Ghosts, which he plans to direct, star in, and co-write with Tomlinson. Two successful horror producers, Blumhouse founder Jason Blum and Roy Lee, joined the film days before Whiplash debuted at TIFF.
Before the specialty studio unveils Whiplash next year, Focus Features has a 2025 slate that includes Chloe Zhao's Hamnet, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone's latest collaboration Bugonia, and the Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson-led musical Song Sung Blue.”
