The Backrooms Trilogy (2022-2027)

The distinctive yellow wallpaper and fluorescent lighting of Level 0, which became an instantly recognizable symbol of the franchise

The Backrooms Trilogy (2022-2027) is a critically acclaimed series of psychological horror films produced by A24 Studios that follows the story of Maria Diaz, portrayed by Jenna Ortega, as she navigates through the mysterious and dangerous Backrooms, a seemingly infinite maze of liminal spaces existing outside of normal reality. The trilogy, consisting of NoCliped (2022), Wanderer (2024), and City in the Rain (2027), garnered widespread acclaim for its atmospheric horror, complex character relationships, and exploration of existential themes, while drawing heavily from the collaborative online mythology of the Backrooms Wikidot.

Production and Development

The trilogy was conceived when A24 acquired the rights to adapt the viral internet phenomenon of the Backrooms, which originated from a 4chan post in 2019. The studio approached the project with the intention of creating a serious psychological horror franchise that would honor the community-created mythology while crafting a compelling narrative accessible to general audiences. The production team worked closely with contributors from the Backrooms Wikidot to ensure the films remained faithful to the established lore while expanding upon it in meaningful ways.

The endless cityscape of Level 11, where much of City in the Rain takes place

The distinctive visual style of the trilogy was achieved through a combination of practical sets and cutting-edge digital effects, with particular attention paid to capturing the unsettling nature of liminal spaces - environments that feel transitional, empty, and somehow wrong. The production design team studied abandoned shopping malls, empty office buildings, and other locations that evoked the uncanny valley of architectural spaces.

Plot and Themes

NoCliped (2022)

The first installment introduces Maria Diaz, a young architecture student who finds herself inexplicably transported to Level 0 of the Backrooms after falling through reality - an event known as "noclipping." There she encounters Cindy Reynolds (Emma Myers), another trapped individual, and together they discover the Major Explorer Group (M.E.G.), an organization dedicated to studying the Backrooms and helping its inhabitants survive.

The film establishes the core mechanics of the Backrooms, including the necessity of Almond Water for maintaining sanity, the presence of hostile entities, and the concept of different levels with varying degrees of danger. NoCliped received praise for its claustrophobic atmosphere and the chemistry between Ortega and Myers, with their characters' growing relationship providing an emotional anchor amid the supernatural horror.

Wanderer (2024)

The sequel expands the scope of the narrative while developing the romantic relationship between Maria and Cindy. The film introduces Dr. Arnold Malkinson (Jack Nicholson), the enigmatic chief scientist of the M.E.G., whose research into the nature of the Backrooms begins to reveal darker undertones. Running parallel to the main plot is the story of Cindy's father (David Tennant) searching for his daughter in the normal world, gradually uncovering connections between disappearances and the Backrooms phenomenon.

While some critics considered Wanderer a slower-paced entry in the trilogy, it was praised for its character development and world-building, particularly in its exploration of the M.E.G.'s complex organizational structure and the introduction of new levels and entities.

City in the Rain (2027)

The trilogy's conclusion is widely regarded as its strongest entry, bringing together the various plot threads in a devastating climax. Set primarily in Level 11, an endless urban landscape of perpetual rainfall, the film reveals Dr. Malkinson's true nature as he attempts to harness the Backrooms' reality-altering properties for his own purposes, regardless of the human cost.

The Partygoers launch their final assault on the M.E.G. headquarters during the climactic battle of City in the Rain

The film culminates in a massive confrontation between the M.E.G. and the Partygoers, malevolent entities that maintain a façade of cheerfulness while turning their victims into more of their kind. Against this backdrop, Maria faces off against Malkinson, who has orchestrated Cindy's death as part of his experiments. The final battle, which takes place across multiple levels of reality, was praised for its emotional intensity and visual spectacle.

Mythology and World-Building

The trilogy draws extensively from the collaborative mythology established on the Backrooms Wikidot, incorporating many of its most popular concepts while adding new elements that were subsequently adopted by the community. The films explore various levels beyond the iconic Level 0, each with distinct characteristics and dangers:

• Level 0: The entry point, characterized by yellow wallpaper and buzzing fluorescent lights

• Level 1: A darker, more industrial version of Level 0

• Level 11: The endless city where the trilogy concludes

The films feature numerous entities from the original mythology, including Hounds (predatory creatures that hunt in packs), Smilers (beings that appear as floating, luminescent grins), and the especially dreaded Partygoers. The M.E.G. serves as a central element of the narrative, portrayed as a morally complex organization trying to maintain order and safety within the chaos of the Backrooms.

Reception and Impact

The Backrooms Trilogy has been credited with helping to establish Jenna Ortega as a serious dramatic actress, following her performances in X and Wednesday. Her portrayal of Maria Diaz's transformation from a terrified victim to a hardened survivor received universal acclaim, with many critics noting the depth she brought to the character's grief and determination.

The death of Cindy Reynolds in the final film generated significant controversy among fans, with some arguing it fell into problematic tropes regarding LGBTQ+ characters in media. However, defenders of the creative decision, including the filmmakers, maintained that the tragedy served the story's themes about the cost of survival and the inherent unfairness of the Backrooms universe.

The trilogy's success led to increased interest in the concept of liminal spaces in popular culture, inspiring numerous other works across various media. The films' careful balance of faithful adaptation and original storytelling has been cited as a model for translating internet-based collaborative fiction to mainstream media.

Legacy

The Backrooms Trilogy has significantly influenced the horror genre, particularly in its approach to environmental storytelling and psychological tension. The distinctive visual aesthetic of the films, especially their portrayal of liminal spaces, has inspired numerous other works and contributed to a renewed interest in architectural horror.

The franchise's commercial and critical success has led to various spin-off projects, including an upcoming animated series and several licensed novels. The trilogy has also contributed to the ongoing expansion of the Backrooms mythology, with many elements introduced in the films being incorporated into the broader community-created universe.

Despite the controversial elements of its conclusion, the trilogy is celebrated for its sophisticated approach to horror, complex character relationships, and impressive world-building. It stands as a testament to the potential of collaborative online mythology as source material for traditional media, while maintaining its own distinct identity as a compelling narrative about survival, love, and the nature of reality itself.