The new psychological movie Obsession has risen to become the highest-grossing original live-action film of the 2020s, with over $371 million at the worldwide box office, surpassing even the Oscar-winning original horror of 2025, Sinners. The independent horror film, reportedly made on a significantly low budget, has become one of the biggest box-office success stories of the decade. Its remarkable run in theaters has garnered attention for turning a micro-budget production into a worldwide hit, underscoring the rising commercial appeal of original movies outside of the established franchises. 

Its record-breaking milestone is backed by remarkable box office numbers both domestically and internationally. 

Obsession has grossed $371.2 million worldwide, $233.8 million at the domestic box office, and $137.4 million overseas, as per Box Office Mojo. The film’s domestic earnings made up 63% of its total revenue, with the remaining 37% coming from overseas markets, illustrating the film’s success in North America and internationally, as per Box Office Mojo. Given its reported production budget of only $750,000, the film has been one of the most extraordinary box office returns for an original live-action film in recent years. 

Of the overseas markets, France has been the biggest box office performer internationally with $8.47 million in ticket sales, Box Office Mojo reported. Germany ranks second with $3.25 million, with the Netherlands and Spain at $2.9 million and $2.78 million, respectively. These European markets have been instrumental to the film’s international box office success and commercial growth. 

In comparison, Sinners has grossed $370.3 million globally, which includes $280 million domestically and $90.3 million internationally. Its total earnings are 75.6% from domestic ticket sales, and the remaining 24.4% is from overseas releases, with its best performance in North America. That impressive worldwide total also further stamps it as one of the decade’s highest-grossing original live-action films. 

'Obsession' Shatters 27-Year-Old Hollywood Record to Become Highest-Grossing Film With Less Than $1M Budget

While its box office performance has made history, the film's original story is equally responsible for its widespread success.

The plot of Obsession revolves around Bear, a shy music store employee, who has had a crush on his coworker Nikki for years but lacks the confidence to tell her how he feels. He finds a strange artifact called the "One Wish Willow" and wishes that Nikki would fall in love with him, thinking this will bring him the relationship he has always wanted. But instead, the wish twists reality, turning Nikki’s love into a perverted and increasingly dangerous obsession that quickly gets out of Bear’s control.

When Nikki's behavior escalates into possessiveness and violence, Bear discovers his dream has turned into a nightmare. The film explores obsession, control, and emotional dependence, and the consequences of manipulating love through supernatural means with the medium of psychological horror. Obsession blends romance and disturbing horror with a tense showdown as Bear races to undo the wish gone terribly wrong before it destroys both their lives.

The movie has set a new standard for what an original live-action film can do at today’s box office, proving that a great story can be just as big as the biggest franchise releases. Matched only by its record-breaking theatrical run, fueled by a unique blend of psychological horror, dark humor, and supernatural suspense. Having outgrossed movies like Sinners and Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway's The Devil Wears Prada 2, to become the top-grossing original live-action film of the decade, the film has established itself as one of the most remarkable cinematic success stories of the 2020s. 

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Can Obsession hold on to its box office crown as the highest-grossing original live-action film of the 2020s? Let us know in the comments.