For once, women should NOT choose the Bear.

Obsession is the runaway horror hit of the year making over $431,000,000 at the global box office meaning this has made over 575 times it’s production budget. But so many horror fans have stated that they think this is overhyped and not scary enough to be deemed a modern classic but what is the truth?

We discuss our thoughts on the movie including what we loved, what we disliked and the subtext and themes behind this twisted wish tale to settle the debate once and for all!

⚠️ Spoiler Warning:
This discussion contains full spoilers, including the ending.

Obsession is a 2025 American supernatural psychological horror film written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker.

The film follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a music store employee who buys a supernatural toy that grants his wish for his friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) to fall in love with him, resulting in horrific consequences. Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter appear in supporting roles.

A YouTube sketch comedian, Barker uploaded his short horror film The Chair to his channel in 2023, which led to an offer from producer James Harris to adapt it into a feature film. Barker took the opportunity to pitch Obsession, a different film idea partly inspired by The Simpsons episode “Treehouse of Horror II”.

The film was shot in Los Angeles in October 2024 for $750,000. It is Barker’s second feature-length film, after Milk & Serial (2024), and his first to be released in theaters.

Obsession premiered on September 5, 2025, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where Focus Features acquired the distribution rights for $14–$15 million, the highest price commanded by a genre film in TIFF history, and Jason Blum came on board as an executive producer under Blumhouse Productions.

The film was theatrically released in the United States on May 15, 2026. Obsession became a sleeper hit, setting multiple box-office records and receiving positive reviews, with Navarrette‘s performance receiving widespread acclaim.

It has grossed $430.1 million worldwide and ranks as the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2026. In 2025, Barker said the characters of Obsession are unlikely to appear in another film.

In 2026, Barker said he was considering an anthology television series where each episode explores a new character making a wish, or a sequel, for which he has an idea.

His next film, Anything but Ghosts, is set in the same shared universe, including a reference to the events of Obsession in the form of a news report.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction & Obsession Overview
1:48 Why Obsession Is 2026’s Biggest Horror Film
4:03 First Impressions After Watching
7:18 Is Obsession Overhyped?
10:05 Watching in Cinemas vs Watching at Home
13:18 How a $750K Horror Film Made $430 Million
15:54 Kari Barker’s Direction & Simple Storytelling
18:42 Plot Summary Begins (Spoiler Warning)
21:12 Bear’s Wish Changes Everything
24:03 Nikki’s Terrifying Transformation
26:53 Favourite Scenes Begin
29:14 Indie Navarrette Steals the Movie
32:47 The Creepiest Nikki Moments
36:21 The Car Scene & Iconic Visuals
39:15 Comedy Hidden Inside the Horror
42:08 Michael Johnson’s Performance
45:02 Cinematography, Lighting & Sound Design
48:36 Breaking Down the Ending
52:18 Did Bear Get What He Wanted?
55:11 Nikki: Villain, Victim or Both?
58:43 The Film’s Message About Obsession
1:02:15 Consent, Control & Body Autonomy
1:06:34 Why the Ending Is So Disturbing
1:10:08 Fan Theories & Alternate Interpretations
1:13:41 Horror Trivia & Behind-the-Scenes Facts
1:17:08 Biggest Strengths of Obsession
1:20:36 What Didn’t Quite Work
1:24:12 Final Ratings
1:27:44 Should You Watch Obsession?
1:30:18 Horror Fans vs Casual Viewers
1:33:07 Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks