New Young Directors

 2026 has been an amazing year for movies. While many of the top grossing movies of the year have been produced by large studios, such as The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, there are a large number of upcoming directors that have worked with independent studios to make some of the most popular movies of the year. These directors have been the driving force in bringing new and creative ideas to the silver screen and reviving the slowly decaying institution of the movie theater as a popular place for younger people to go once again.

     Many of the recent, highest-grossing  movies have been directed by some of the youngest directors to release a film. One of the most successful movies of this year, Backrooms, was directed by 20-year-old Youtuber Kane Parsons. He originally made horror videos using the 3D software Blender and became the youngest filmmaker in history to top the box office, earning a record breaking $82 million dollars in the movie's opening weekend. He was picked up by the independent arthouse film company A24 when he was just seventeen years old, who discovered him through his popular Youtube videos. 

     The success of “Backrooms” brought a thriving subgenre of horror, known as liminal horror, into the limelight. Liminal horror is based on the concept of liminal spaces, which are usually transitional areas such as hallways and airports that often evoke eerie and nostalgic feelings in people who see them. The concept of the “Backrooms”, a collaborative project that was not invented by Parsons, is an infinite stretch of office spaces that plays on the fear of liminal spaces and the unknown, and Parsons' web-series and movie demonstrates his spin on the concept. Both his success and his staunch anti-AI opinions demonstrates the wish for young audiences and filmmakers to see original and interesting ideas brought to film.

     Another successful horror movie released this year was “Obsession”, directed and written by Curry Barker. Before making the film Barker ran a successful Youtube channel where he primarily created sketch comedy videos. “Obsession” was produced on a budget of $750,000 and made a total of $519 million at the box office, making it one of the most profitable films compared to its budget. Barker states that the movie was inspired by an episode from The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror II in which Bart Simpson uses a cursed monkey’s paw to make chaotic wishes.  

     Keeping with young filmmakers, writer, director, songwriter, and actress Katherine Lynn-Rose graduated from Cornell University in 2025 with a degree in Performing and Media Arts. She wrote and directed Class Crush, her first-ever directorial project, a musical horror film that would go on to premiere at TIFF Next Wave before being selected as part of the National Film Festival for Talented Youth. Following her debut short, Lynn-Rose went on to write, direct, and produce Silence, a musical short about cultural barriers and familial expectations, as well as her Cornell thesis project, Top of My School, about a student whose desire to win student council becomes unhealthy. In all of her projects, Lynn-Rose has been involved in writing, directing, producing, editing, music composition, and even acting, giving her creative involvement in nearly every aspect of her films.

     Katherine Lynn-Rose also has pursued a career as a singer and songwriter, becoming a semi-finalist on season two of Canada’s Got Talent and earning more than 60 million streams collectively across platforms. Her work has helped her connect with a younger audience, particularly young teens and adults who identify with the LGBTQ+ community and people of Chinese descent who can relate to aspects of her identity and experiences.  Her music, as well as her films, often discuss identity, culture, family, relationships, and the struggles of youth, allowing her to tell stories that reflect experiences familiar to many young people. Her growing presence as both a filmmaker and musician demonstrates how young creators can use multiple forms of media to reach audiences outside of traditional filmmaking. Through her work, Lynn-Rose represents a new generation of filmmakers who are not only creating their own projects but also using their personal experiences and identities to influence the stories they bring to audiences.

    Finally, another up and coming young director/ screenwriter Quinn Shephard is taking off in the industry. Quinn Shephard is an american 

     Throughout the history of film, there have been young directors who introduce new ways of thinking and producing movies that trailblaze and add to popular culture as a whole. This trend of Youtubers thriving in filmmaking demonstrates a new movement that could bring a fresh wave of ideas into cinema and can possibly make people excited to go to the movies once again.