Barker and Tomlinson have been collaborators for years, starting with their surrealist webseries \u201cRoommates.\u201d Their channel \u2014 that\u2019s a bad idea<\/strong> \u2014 has over 1.1 million YouTube subscribers<\/a> and 1.3 million TikTok followers<\/a>. The sketches that appear on this channel were instrumental in establishing the duo\u2019s twisted yet funny voice. But last year\u2019s found-footage horror movie \u201cMilk & Serial,\u201d<\/a> which was released on YouTube and created with a budget of $800, truly tested their filmmaking abilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThose kinds of exercises have really helped me write low-budget,\u201d<\/strong> Barker, who wrote, directed and edited \u201cObsession,\u201d told my colleague Casey Loving<\/a>. \u201cNow I almost want to keep the voice of some of those choices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So when producer James Harris approached Barker about potentially making a feature film, he was ready. \u201cObsession” was made for less than $1 million<\/strong> and has since emerged as the latest creator-helmed hit to dominate the box office. Released by Focus Features, the horror movie has an impressive 95% Rotten Tomatoes score<\/a><\/strong>, a 94% audience score<\/strong> and an audience breakdown that\u2019s 59% male and 75% 18-to-35-year-olds<\/strong> \u2014 one of the most coveted demographics for theaters.<\/p>\n\n\n And this is just the beginning of Barker\u2019s Hollywood career. Focus has already acquired Barker\u2019s follow-up feature \u201cAnything but Ghosts,\u201d<\/strong> which he’s now editing, and A24 has tapped him to reboot the \u201cTexas Chainsaw Massacre\u201d franchise.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If three makes a trend, we\u2019re well beyond that. Mark Fischbach\u2019s, aka Markiplier (38.6 million YouTube subscribers<\/a>), \u201cIron Lung\u201d<\/strong> grossed $50 millionagainst its $3 million budget. The creator will be releasing his movie on YouTube on May 31.<\/strong> Creator Camp and Baron Ryan\u2019s \u201cTwo Sleepy People\u201d grossed over $425,000, or four times its budget, through a guerrilla marketing campaign that didn\u2019t involve any major production companies. And A24 and Kane Parsons\u2019 \u201cBackrooms\u201d is expected to hit between $20 million to 30 million for its opening weekend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And just last week, Jordan Firstman\u2019s <\/strong>(816,000 Instagram followers<\/a>) \u201cClub Kid\u201d<\/strong> scored a rights deal reportedly worth $17 million<\/strong> after premiering at Cannes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There has been a lot of discussion \u2014 not just by me \u2014 about how creators are the future of Hollywood. More than any study, these premieres are proving the pipeline works and is pretty lucrative.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now onto the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kayla Cobb<\/p>\n\n\n\n Senior Reporter Byron Allen is considering a creator revenue sharing model for Buzzfeed 2.0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Byron Allen<\/strong> \u2014 the Weather Channel owner who recently purchased the majority stake in Buzzfeed in a deal worth $120 million \u2014 has big plans<\/a> for his new investment. One of those big ideas is a revenue sharing option for creators<\/strong> that\u2019s similar to the one YouTube uses. He also wants to bring BuzzFeed and Huffington Post into people\u2019s living rooms <\/strong>through what Allen is describing as a free \u201csuper app.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the biggest creators of today started on Buzzfeed. \u201cChallenge Accepted\u201d host Michelle Khare, \u201cAbbott Elementary\u201d creator Quinta Brunson and the Try Guys all worked for the media organization. On the media side, most members of the independent media company Garbage Day, which is on track to make $1 million in revenue this year, also started there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Snap, YouTube and TikTok settle a Kentucky social media addiction lawsuit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In legal news, Snap, YouTube and TikTok <\/strong>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/051526-Office-with-a-View-Artwork.jpg?width=300&height=169&fit=bounds\")
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\n\t\t\tDropout CEO Sam Reich on 'Game Changer' and How His Labor Secretary Dad Taught Him to Empower Artists<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
kayla.cobb@thewrap.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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