A horror movie about hallways? The story behind ‘Backrooms’

In the world of modern horror cinema, audiences have grown all too familiar with grotesque monsters, haunted houses, and terrifying supernatural forces. However, one of the most unique horror phenomena of the 21st century originated from something seemingly utterly mundane: pale yellow office hallways, flickering fluorescent lights, and a sense of absolute solitude. This is “The Backrooms”—an internet horror concept that has evolved from an anonymous photograph into a global entertainment brand, and even a source of inspiration for major feature film projects.

The story of the Backrooms began in 2019 on the online forum 4chan. A user posted a photograph of a desolate office space featuring walls covered in pale yellow wallpaper, worn-out carpeting, and fluorescent lights emitting a cold, sterile glow.

What made the image remarkable was not its subject matter, but the feeling it evoked. Many people felt as though they had seen this place somewhere before, yet could not quite recall exactly where. It was a sensation of familiarity intertwined with strangeness—a psychological state the internet community dubbed a “liminal space”: a transitional zone situated between the familiar and the undefined.

Shortly thereafter, a brief description was posted alongside it:

“If you accidentally ‘no-clip’ out of reality—slipping through the cracks of the normal world—you will find yourself in the Backrooms: an infinite labyrinth of yellow rooms, the scent of damp carpet, and the ceaseless buzzing of fluorescent lights.”

The concept quickly went viral, spreading at breakneck speed.

Unlike traditional ghost stories, the Backrooms does not rely on gore or jump scares.

The fear of the Backrooms stems from three main psychological factors.

In the Backrooms, there are no loved ones, no friends, nor any signs of human society. You are utterly alone within an endless labyrinth.

Humans are, by nature, social creatures. Being cut off from a community for extended periods is one of the brain’s most primal fears.

Endlessly stretching corridors create a profound sense of disorientation. There are no windows, no exits, and no maps.

You could walk for hours, days, or even years without knowing where you are.

The most terrifying thing about the Backrooms is how normal they look.

It is not a haunted castle or an abandoned cemetery. It resembles an old office, a closed-down shopping mall, or a public building that anyone might have visited.

It is precisely this distorted familiarity that leaves viewers feeling unsettled.

After first appearing on 4chan, the Backrooms quickly spread to Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, and a host of other social media platforms.

Fans began constructing an entire detailed universe comprising numerous distinct levels.

Within the Backrooms community, this colossal labyrinth is divided into hundreds of “Levels,” each possessing its own unique characteristics.

Some levels resemble abandoned hotels.

Others take the form of dark, industrial zones.

There are even levels that manifest as cities, oceans, or surreal landscapes that defy the laws of physics.

Accompanying this expansion came the emergence of countless mysterious creatures known as “Entities”—bizarre beings that inhabit the Backrooms.

However, many fans argue that it was the initial emptiness that was truly the most terrifying aspect; as more monsters were introduced, the Backrooms gradually lost some of its inherent psychological allure.

Had the Backrooms remained confined solely to internet posts, the phenomenon would likely have faded into obscurity long ago.

Everything changed in 2022 when a young creator named Kane Parsons—better known by his alias, Kane Pixels—uploaded the video “The Backrooms (Found Footage)” to YouTube.

The video ran for less than ten minutes but quickly garnered tens of millions of views.

Its standout feature was its astonishing production quality.

Kane employed 3D graphics techniques to render the Backrooms with such realism that many viewers were convinced it was a genuine physical location.

The video was filmed in the “found footage” style—simulating film reels supposedly discovered in the aftermath of a mysterious event.

Viewers follow the journey of a character who accidentally falls into the Backrooms and attempts to find a way to escape.

Without relying on excessive dialogue or a constant parade of monsters, the video nonetheless creates an atmosphere of suffocating tension.

Kane Pixels’ success transformed the Backrooms from a mere internet legend into a widely recognized horror franchise.

The explosion of the *Backrooms* video series quickly captured the attention of the film industry.

Many film studios realized that the *Backrooms* possessed a rare advantage: a massive fan base combined with an incredibly unique concept.

Unlike traditional horror franchises that must build their worlds from scratch, the *Backrooms* already boasted a creative community numbering in the millions.

Entertainment industry reports indicate that Kane Pixels was invited to help develop a feature film project inspired by the *Backrooms* while he was still a teenager.

This represents a rare instance in which a young internet creator had the opportunity to step directly into Hollywood thanks to a YouTube project.

The Backrooms reflect many emotions characteristic of the generation that grew up in the Internet age.

Life is becoming increasingly complex, leaving many young people feeling lost and disoriented.

The Backrooms serve as a metaphor for this state: wandering endlessly without knowing where the destination lies.

Many locations within the Backrooms are reminiscent of 1990s shopping malls, old offices, or childhood playgrounds.

They evoke a sense of nostalgia, yet simultaneously create a feeling of unease.

Before the Backrooms rose to fame, the online community had already developed a fondness for “liminal spaces”—empty, quiet, and uncanny locations.

The Backrooms serve as the perfect embodiment of this trend.

Today, the Backrooms has expanded far beyond the scope of a typical creepypasta story.

It appears in video games, short films, online novels, and various other works of art.

Internet culture researchers view the Backrooms as a prime example of how online communities can collectively construct a modern mythology.

Notably, no one actually owns the original concept; the Backrooms was born from the collective imagination of millions of internet users worldwide.

The success of the Backrooms proves that horror need not stem from colossal monsters or shocking scenes of gore. Sometimes, what frightens people most is simply an empty hallway, flickering fluorescent lights, and the sensation that you have drifted away from reality.

From an anonymous photograph on the internet to a global cultural phenomenon—and a source of inspiration for major cinematic projects—the Backrooms stands as a testament to the power of the collective imagination in the digital age.

And perhaps that is precisely what is most terrifying: the thought that somewhere out there—behind a seemingly ordinary door—there may still exist an endless labyrinth, waiting for someone to inadvertently step inside.