Obsession Release Date: The Supernatural Horror You Can’t Stop Thinking About

 

It starts innocently enough: a toy, a wish, a crush. But in Curry Barker’s Obsession, the lines between desire and dread blur in ways you won’t see coming. Bear, a music store employee, thinks he’s just making a harmless wish on the mysterious “One Wish Willow.” But the results? Terrifying. What follows is a story of supernatural twists, psychological unease, and the kind of tension that will have you gripping your seat until the very end.

Barker, fresh off his viral horror short The Chair, takes a leap from micro-budget YouTube fame to full-fledged cinematic storytelling. Festival audiences at TIFF’s Midnight Madness have already whispered in hushed awe: this isn’t just horror—it’s a psychological puzzle wrapped in terror.

Mark Your Calendars: Obsession Release Date

For those counting down every day, the official obsession release date is May 15, 2026, when Focus Features will unleash the film in U.S. theaters. Internationally, Universal Pictures International will handle distribution, bringing Barker’s dark vision to a global audience.

Fans may also remember the early buzz: the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2025, where it immediately caught attention for its chilling premise and inventive direction. Multiple festival screenings and strategic release scheduling have only heightened the anticipation for its wide release.

The Sinister Premise: One Wish, Endless Consequences

Bear (Michael Johnston) is a hopeless romantic whose crush on childhood friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) has never faded. When a supernatural toy called the “One Wish Willow” promises to grant a single desire, Bear seizes the opportunity for love. But magic has a dark side. The wish comes true—but with horrifying consequences, twisting the lives of Bear and Nikki into a nightmarish spiral that questions morality, obsession, and the true cost of desire.

Supporting roles from Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter add layers of tension, humor, and grounded reality, making the supernatural horror feel both intimate and terrifying.

Behind the Lens: Curry Barker’s Creepy Vision

Curry Barker isn’t just the writer—he’s also the director and editor, giving the film a singular, unsettling tone. Inspired by a Simpsons episode where chaos erupts from a cursed object, Barker spent over eight months perfecting the screenplay, balancing terror with dark humor.

• Executive Producer: Jason Blum (Blumhouse Productions)
• Production Companies: Capstone Pictures, Tea Shop Productions, Under the Shell
• Cinematography: Taylor Clemons
• Music: Rock Burwell
• Production Design: Vivian Gray, who remodeled a Burbank house to evoke loneliness and unease

Barker’s direction focuses on discomfort in the mundane—center-composed shots with extra headroom, making everyday spaces feel alien and haunting. This meticulous craft transforms a simple story of a love wish into a cinematic study of dread.

Teaser Terror: Watch the Trailer

The trailer drops you straight into the tension: eerie silences, mundane objects turned ominous, and subtle psychological cues that hint at the nightmare to come. The toy, the wish, the obsession—it’s all there, teasing what Barker promises will be “an intimate horror that stays with you long after the lights come up.”

Fans Are Already Freaking Out

The internet is buzzing, and horror communities are alive with speculation:

 

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Reddit and social media threads have turned into theory forums, dissecting every teaser frame, debating the “One Wish Willow,” and predicting which twists will shock audiences the most. The combination of Barker’s indie roots and Blumhouse backing has created an infectious excitement among genre fans.

Final Thoughts: Obsession You Can’t Shake

Obsession promises a horror experience that lingers—the kind of story where love, desire, and supernatural forces collide in an unsettling, unforgettable way. From Barker’s meticulous direction to Blumhouse’s backing, and a cast that balances intensity with relatability, this film has the ingredients of a modern cult classic.

As the obsession release date approaches, the questions multiply: how far would you go for love? What would you risk? And when desire turns dark, who—or what—really controls your fate?

Are you ready to find out? Drop your theories below before May 15, 2026—you might just be wishing you hadn’t.

FAQ

When is the obsession release date?

May 15, 2026 in U.S. theaters; international release via Universal Pictures follows.

Who stars in the film?

Michael Johnston (Bear), Inde Navarrette (Nikki), Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter.

Who wrote and directed the film?

Curry Barker.

Where did it premiere?

Toronto International Film Festival, Midnight Madness, September 5, 2025.

Is it scary for adults, kids, or both?

Designed as a psychological horror for adults, with supernatural and suspenseful elements.