A24 Withdraws Backrooms Copyright Claim After Creator Kane Parsons Intervenes

A24 withdrew a copyright claim over fan art inspired by the horror concept "Backrooms" after the film's director, Kane Parsons, intervened to address the issue, according to TheWrap. The studio released a clarifying statement, affirming it does not own the broader internet-born idea.

What did A24 say?

The studio directly addressed the confusion. The studio added it would "continue to support the artists who, like Kane, were inspired by it."

How did this start?

The situation began when a Reddit user reported that A24 had requested the removal of their "Backrooms"-inspired artwork from the online marketplace Redbubble. Parsons commented on the user's post on Wednesday, writing, "I’m looking into this. Should not be happening." The user, u/GnarlyNet, later stated they respect the rights to a specific film adaptation but argued those rights should not extend to ownership of the entire concept or its visual language.

Why is this IP so tricky?

The "Backrooms" horror concept originated from a 2019 4chan post, not from Parsons or A24. An anonymous user invited others to share unsettling images, kicking off a wave of online lore that many creators, including Parsons, have since expanded upon. This crowd-sourced origin makes intellectual property ownership inherently ambiguous, as no single entity created the foundational idea. A24's statement attempts to draw a line between its specific film adaptation and the wider, community-built mythology.