The Complete Guide to Horror Movies

#120 - Obsession (2026)


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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!


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Chapters

0:00 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
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.

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.

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.

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The Complete Guide to Horror MoviesBy Justin Matters, Byron Peszko, Sean Coop