Don't expect Obsession 2 anytime soon: Curry Barker hits pause

Now here’s a film industry story that’s managed to zig where most would zag. Curry Barker, who not too long ago put out a micro-budget horror called 'Milk & Serial' (yes, and that really was reportedly shot for the price of a cheap second-hand bicycle, $800), has somehow landed himself in the thick of a box office sensation. But the odd bit is: it’s not the film you probably think.

Barker actually gave 'Milk & Serial' away for free on YouTube, and, while the rest of Hollywood wrestled with streaming numbers, his scrappy found-footage effort ticked up over three million views. For a while, that was his calling card. But skip ahead, and his so-called debut feature, 'Obsession', is what’s putting real money on the scoreboard — to the tune of nearly $200 million in the States, and brushing up against $300 million globally. That’s not just good, it’s become the most successful film ever snatched up out of a festival. Now, studios usually start sniffing around for sequels when this sort of money's in the air. Strangely, Barker is… not particularly fussed.

What’s 'Obsession' Actually About?

With Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette out front, 'Obsession' takes that familiar longing-for-love setup and, as you might expect from a horror director, turns it into a proper darkness. So, this lovesick bloke gets his hands on a supposedly mystical 'One Wish Willow', cracks it to cast a wish, and things go full monkey’s paw from there. You wish for your crush’s love, but, as all horror morality tales go, you’re going to pay for it in ways you’d never expect.

The supporting cast includes Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and, for a bit of surprise, Andy Richter. (Yes, the one from American telly.) Production-wise, James Harris (Teashop Productions), Haley Nicole Johnson (Under the Shell), Christian Mercuri (Capstone Pictures), and Roman Viaris lined up as the main producers. The exec producer bench is nearly as long as the cast: Leonora Darby and Mark Lane (both Teashop), David Haring and Ruzanna Kegeyan (both Capstone) pitched in as well.

Barker’s Dance Card: Sequels, Chainsaws, and Ghosts

So, with a film that’s gone absolutely ballistic at the box office, what’s next? You’d assume 'Obsession 2' would have been greenlit before the credits rolled, but Barker’s not keen. And in a recent chat with The Hollywood Reporter, he laid it out straight:

'The big conversation is: Do I want to do an IP movie? Or do I want to do my original? I have an idea for my original, but I have so many ideas for Chainsaw as well. I have a lot to weigh and that’s where the stress really comes from. I don’t know what to do next. I don’t want to go straight into Obsession 2. I have such a cool idea for it that I won’t say. I’m not saying it has to be five, six years from now. But I think people would be just as excited for it if it came a little down the road. It’s a whirlwind and I’m trying to figure it out.'

There’s more. Not only is he in post-production on something called 'Anything but Ghosts', but he’s also been tapped to write and direct a new 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' film. Apparently, heading straight back into 'Obsession' territory feels a bit samey, and he fancies doing something else first — though, by his own words, he’s not ruling out a sequel entirely, just not immediately.

• 'Obsession' is Barker’s first studio-distributed hit; his actual first film, 'Milk & Serial', was a DIY YouTube release made for peanuts.
• 'Obsession' has raked in nearly $200 million just in the US, and close to the $300 million mark worldwide — a record-shattering run for a film picked up at a festival.
• Barker has said he’s open to expanding both the 'Obsession' universe (possibly as an anthology) and 'Milk & Serial', though for the latter he’s toying with the idea of producing but not directing.
• 'Obsession 2' isn’t off the cards, just postponed; Barker wants to do something original or tackle his take on 'Texas Chainsaw' before doubling up on his own franchise success.

So Barker is currently the sort of indie-to-blockbuster case you rarely see: one foot still in his zero-budget roots, but with Hollywood’s big franchise keys being dangled and everyone waiting to see which project he picks up next.