New Horror Hit Incoming as ‘Obsession’ Drops Its First Teaser

A new voice is rising fast in the horror landscape, and December has delivered the first real glimpse of what that ascent looks like. The teaser trailer for Curry Barker’s Obsession has arrived, signalling a sharp pivot for the filmmaker whose viral comedy-horror shorts and breakout film festival success have already marked him as one to watch. The feature will hit cinemas in May 2026, but the newly released footage suggests Barker is moving confidently into a more unsettling and emotionally charged realm.

Obsession centres on a hopeless romantic who makes the mistake of disturbing the so-called “One Wish Willow” in an attempt to win over the person he adores. What begins as a fantasy fulfilled quickly sours as the price of that wish becomes violently clear. It’s a deceptively simple premise, but one loaded with the thematic territory Barker has shown a growing command of: yearning, dread and the ways in which desire twists into something dangerous.

The cast is led by Michael Johnston, with Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless rounding out the core group. The teaser showcases the young leads caught between dreamlike intimacy and creeping unease, framing the romance as something fragile, impulsive and ready to be swallowed by whatever force has been set in motion. Barker’s use of colour, pacing and close-up tension in the footage hints at a style that departs from his early sketch-comedy roots while retaining his instinct for awkward panic and emotional volatility.

The project arrives at a moment of rapid momentum for Barker. After he and long-time collaborator Cooper Tomlinson found viral success with Milk & Serial, their partnership shifted from short-form comedy to a creative pipeline that now includes multiple features. Obsession premiered in TIFF’s Midnight Madness programme earlier this year, earning first runner-up for the People’s Choice Award in the category. That reception helped solidify Barker’s move into genre filmmaking and further boosted industry interest, with his next project, Anything But Ghosts, already in production under producers Jason Blum and Roy Lee.

Barker’s route into filmmaking has been unusually fast-paced. Raised in Alabama and later relocating to Los Angeles, he built a body of shorts that fused horror and humour, gaining attention for his willingness to push tonal extremes. Acting roles in Dave, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and various independent projects followed, but directing has remained his focus. Throughout his career so far, Tomlinson has been both collaborator and on-screen presence, and he returns here in a central role. Their joint path from film school dropouts to festival-circuit regulars forms part of the off-screen origin story of Obsession, which itself explores ambition, longing and the unexpected consequences of reckless choices.

Alongside the core cast, the supporting line-up includes Andy Richter, Haley Fitzgerald, Darin Toonder, Chloe Breen, Anthony Pavone and Justice, adding a mix of comedic and dramatic talent that reflects Barker’s taste for tonal collision. Though the teaser keeps its supernatural elements concealed, the atmosphere suggests a story where emotional vulnerability invites something predatory, and where wish fulfilment shades into psychological torment.

With its release set for May 2026, no doubt we’ll get the opportunity to see a full trailer and more images of what to expect in early 2026.

Obsession trailer