The Backrooms Trilogy

Welcome to today's featured content about The Backrooms Trilogy (2022-2027), A24's groundbreaking horror franchise that redefined the boundaries of psychological horror and liminal space cinema. Today's featured article explores Level 11, the rain-soaked cityscape that served as the backdrop for the trilogy's devastating conclusion.

Today's Featured Article: Level 11 - The City in Eternal Rain

Level 11 stands as one of the most visually striking and emotionally resonant settings in The Backrooms Trilogy, serving as the primary location for City in the Rain (2027). This endless urban expanse, perpetually drenched in a cold, unnatural downpour, became the stage for the franchise's most tragic moments and its ultimate climax.

The level consists of an infinite grid of art deco skyscrapers and narrow streets, their architecture reminiscent of 1940s New York but twisted into impossible angles and proportions. The constant rain creates rivers of black water that flow through the streets, while neon signs flicker endlessly in dozens of languages, none of them quite readable. The level's most distinctive feature is its complete lack of ground-level entry points to any building - all doors and windows start at the second floor or higher, forcing survivors to navigate via fire escapes and makeshift bridges.

Did You Know...

• The production team developed a revolutionary water recycling system to maintain the constant rainfall effect during filming

• The neon signs throughout Level 11 contain hidden messages in over 47 different languages

• The level's soundtrack incorporates actual recordings from The Edinburgh Incident (2023)

Today's Featured Character: Dr. Arnold Malkinson

Dr. Arnold Malkinson, portrayed by Jack Nicholson in what critics have called "the performance of his career," serves as the trilogy's primary antagonist. His descent from brilliant scientist to megalomaniacal villain reaches its zenith in Level 11, where his true nature is finally revealed. As the chief scientist of the Major Explorer Group (M.E.G.), Malkinson's obsession with controlling the Backrooms led to increasingly unethical experiments, culminating in his alliance with the Partygoers and the death of Cindy Reynolds.

In The News

Production Updates

The newly announced Challenger Deep Research Facility documentary series has begun production, promising to explore the real-world inspiration behind Dr. Malkinson's underground laboratory.

Echoes of Edinburgh, a companion piece exploring the aftermath of the Edinburgh Incident, has entered pre-production.

Community Impact

The Cindy Reynolds Resurrection Controversy continues to generate discussion among fans, with new theories emerging about potential alternate endings that were considered during production.

Technical Achievements

Level 11's creation represented an unprecedented technical challenge. The production team constructed a massive water management system capable of maintaining consistent rainfall across multiple city blocks. The innovative "rain wall" lighting technique developed for the level has since become standard in the industry for creating atmospheric precipitation effects.

The level's sound design introduced layered audio techniques that created an immersive sense of urban decay and supernatural menace. The constant interplay between rainfall, distant neon buzzing, and the echoing footsteps of entities became known as the "Level 11 Soundscape" among audio engineers.

Entity Encounters

Level 11 is notable for featuring the largest concentration of entities in any single level, including Smilers, Dullers, Hounds, and most significantly, the Partygoers during their final assault on the M.E.G. forces.

Survival Guide

The M.E.G. Field Manual notes that Level 11's psychological effects are particularly severe, with the constant rain and darkness leading to rapid deterioration of mental stability. The manual emphasizes the importance of Almond Water consumption and maintaining group contact to prevent what it terms "rain madness."

The Final Battle

The climactic confrontation between Maria Diaz and Dr. Malkinson takes place across the rain-slicked rooftops of Level 11, while below, the M.E.G. forces engage in their final battle with the Partygoers. The sequence, which runs for an unprecedented 27 minutes without cuts, culminates in Cindy's tragic death and Maria's desperate escape from the Backrooms.

Cultural Impact

Level 11's influence on modern horror cinema cannot be overstated. Its unique visual aesthetic has inspired countless films and television shows, while its exploration of urban isolation and environmental horror has become a template for contemporary psychological thrillers.

Behind the Scenes

The production team's commitment to practical effects over CGI led to the construction of several full-scale city blocks, complete with functioning rain systems and practical lighting. Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers performed many of their own stunts during the rooftop sequences, leading to several minor injuries but contributing to the sequence's visceral realism.

Legacy

The tragic events of Level 11 continue to resonate with audiences, particularly the controversial decision to kill off Cindy Reynolds. While some critics argued this choice undermined the trilogy's themes of hope and survival, others praised it as a bold statement about the true nature of the Backrooms and the cost of escape.

The level's influence extends beyond horror cinema into architectural theory and urban design, with several academic papers examining how its impossible geometry and perpetual rainfall create a unique form of spatial horror. The term "Level 11 Architecture" has entered the lexicon of film criticism to describe urban environments that create psychological unease through subtle spatial distortion.

The Backrooms Trilogy stands as a landmark achievement in horror cinema, with Level 11 representing its darkest and most ambitious realization. Its combination of technical innovation, emotional depth, and psychological horror continues to influence filmmakers and artists across multiple mediums.