The A24-distributed film adaptation of "The Backrooms," directed by YouTube series creator Kane Parsons (also known as Kane Pixels), has been out for some time. However, the studio is now facing backlash from the online community after allegedly issuing copyright takedowns for fan art that predates the movie's release.
The concept of "The Backrooms" originally emerged as an anonymous creepypasta on 4chan in 2019, subsequently expanded by countless internet users into short stories, videos, and games. Kane Parsons, then just 16 years old, gained significant attention for his 9-minute found-footage horror short, which ultimately led to the A24 feature film adaptation.
A creator recently posted on "The Backrooms" subreddit, cautioning fellow artists that A24 had requested the removal of their "Backrooms"-inspired artwork. The creator explained that their piece was a rendition of a well-known 2019 image, which served as the genesis of the entire "Backrooms" lore.
The creator expressed disappointment, stating it was disheartening to see a company attempt to claim such broad association with a concept that had been collaboratively developed, shared, and cherished by the online community for years. They had hoped A24 would celebrate this creative history rather than take action against independent artists who, like the studio, were inspired by it.
The creator further elaborated that Redbubble had notified them of the artwork's removal due to a complaint filed on behalf of "A24 Films LLC." They noted that they had not received direct contact from A24 and could not independently verify who submitted the complaint. The artist confirmed they had disputed the takedown, clarifying that their work was a reinterpretation of the original 2019 "Backrooms" image, not a reproduction of A24's film or merchandise.
In response to the controversy, Kane Parsons personally addressed the situation, stating, "I'm looking into this, this shouldn't be happening." The original poster of the Reddit thread warned that if large corporations could retroactively target community-created content, it would establish a dangerous precedent for the adaptation of internet culture.
via： TheGamer