That wallpaper looks a little too familiar.
In a concerning development for fans of the Backrooms, a popular creepypasta-turned-blockbuster, director Kane Parsons has promised to look into a series of copyright strikes supposedly issued by A24 to content creators over artwork inspired by the horror film.
The issue first came to light on July 15, when a Reddit user named ‘GnarlyNet’ posted on the official Backrooms subreddit about claims that A24 had issued a takedown notice targeting their artwork, a simple yellow wallpaper pattern inspired by the original image that started the liminal space craze.
The artwork was posted on Redbubble, a popular platform for selling fan art, and was removed due to a complaint from A24 Films LLC. However, the creator argued that their work was inspired by the original viral image, not Parsons’ 2026 horror adaptation of the source material.
But they weren’t the only one affected by unexpected copyright issues; another Reddit user shared a similar story on July 14, saying they were also issued a takedown notice on behalf of A24 for work posted on Redbubble that wasn’t wallpaper-focused at all. Instead, their works were pictures of two women in a familiar, fluorescent-lighted hallway and another of a Backrooms-inspired office space.
Furthermore, an indie developer claimed their Backrooms-inspired game had been struck down on the Google Play store, with the platform telling them it had violated their policies by impersonating ‘The Backrooms’ brand.
In the late hours of July 15, Parsons himself commented on GnarlyNet’s Reddit post with good news for those affected by the issue.
‘I’m looking into this. Should not be happening,’ he wrote.
Fans have speculated that A24 could be utilizing automated services to enact these takedown notices, which would explain the blanket nature of the strikes over anything that looks remotely Backrooms-related.
For now, fans are still waiting to see what comes of Parsons’ involvement in the ordeal, but it’s left the community anxious in regards to upcoming film adaptations of other creepypastas like the SCP Foundation and Sirenhead, both of which are properties that have been transformed into innumerable indie games, short films, artwork, and more.
The Backrooms has become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring countless works of fan art, music, and fiction. The film adaptation, which was released in 2026, was a major hit, but it’s clear that the franchise’s impact extends far beyond the big screen.
As the debate over copyright and fan art continues, one thing is certain: the Backrooms has become a symbol of the power and creativity of fandom.
