Steven Spielberg recently advised two rising young horror directors not to become complacent after their success. The veteran filmmaker emphasized that every new film is a fresh start.
During a recent program, Spielberg was asked what advice he would give to 26-year-old Obsession director Curry Barker and 20-year-old Backrooms director Kane Parsons, and he spoke candidly.
Spielberg said, "Don’t get hung up on success," explaining that even after a major breakthrough, everything for the next film is built from scratch. According to him, this is a lesson drawn from his own experience.
The director noted that while a hit film can earn respect in the industry, it doesn’t guarantee lasting advantages for the next project. For Spielberg, each new project marks a threshold where a career essentially restarts.
The seasoned filmmaker expressed that even if given the chance to make 20 or 30 films, the feeling of starting over can strongly emerge even by the second or third film. Therefore, he warned young directors not to turn success into a permanent comfort zone.
Spielberg’s comments coincided with the commercial success of two recent notable productions. Obsession grossed $238.7 million worldwide after its release on May 15.
Despite being made on a $750,000 budget, the film became one of the highest-grossing acquisitions originating from the Toronto International Film Festival. It also became Focus Features’ biggest film to date and earned a 94% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Backrooms earned $220.6 million worldwide following its May 29 release. Made on a $10 million budget, the film became A24’s highest-grossing production ever in North America.
Backrooms also received an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Spielberg’s praise highlighted how strongly the rise of these two young talents has resonated in Hollywood.
Meanwhile, Curry Barker responded publicly with joy to Spielberg’s words. Barker expressed disbelief at the compliment and openly showed his satisfaction with Obsession.
