Creepy Trailer for the Horror Film OBSESSION Turns Romance Into a Nightmare
Focus Features has dropped the trailer for Obsession, the new romance horror film from Curry Barker, and it’s clear this isn’t your typical love story.
Timed for the most romantic day of the year for reasons that become painfully obvious in the footage, the teaser hints at a twisted tale about desire, control, and the terrifying cost of getting exactly what you wish for.
The film marks the second feature from Barker, whose previous project, Milk & Serial, helped establish him as a filmmaker to watch. After premiering at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, Obsession went on to play at Fantastic Fest and other genre festivals, earning serious praise along the way.
In the film, a hopeless romantic makes a desperate move to win over his lifelong platonic crush by breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” stick. The spell works. Maybe too well.
Bear, played by Michael Johnston, has spent years longing for Nikki, portrayed by Inde Navarrette. After his wish takes hold, Nikki becomes consumed by him in ways that spiral far beyond what anyone would call healthy. She turns into his literal shadow, and what starts as a fantasy quickly mutates into something dark and disturbing.
The film also stars Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless, rounding out a cast that brings this unsettling love story to life.
What makes Obsession especially intriguing is how it unravels. Audiences who caught it at festivals have been adamant that it’s best experienced knowing as little as possible. They say the story twists and pivots in ways that keep you guessing, pulling the rug out from under expectations as it explores how far someone might go to be loved.
The film works as a sharp metaphor about objectification in romantic relationships and the dangerous lengths people will chase when fueled by longing. Barker, who also wrote and directed the film, leans into the horror not just through supernatural elements but through the emotional consequences of obsession itself.
Focus Features is set to release Obsession in select U.S. theaters starting May 15th, 2026.