The No. 1 Horror Movie of 2026 Is Officially Leaving Peacock
Not many directors can say their debut film was a blockbuster hit, let alone a cultural phenomenon. But newcomer Curry Barker, who wrote and directed Obsession , the No. 1 horror movie of 2026 , can say he's accomplished both. The film takes a look at the dangers of getting exactly what you wish for when Bear (Michael Johnston) makes a wish that his friend Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette) would love him more than…
Not many directors can say their debut film was a blockbuster hit, let alone a cultural phenomenon. But newcomer Curry Barker, who wrote and directed Obsession, the No. 1 horror movie of 2026, can say he's accomplished both. The film takes a look at the dangers of getting exactly what you wish for when Bear (Michael Johnston) makes a wish that his friend Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette) would love him more than anyone else in the world. Despite being made on only a $750,000 budget, the film dominated the box office when it hit theaters, earning $17.2 million in its first week and a staggering $23.9 million in its second week.
To date, Obsession remains the tenth most profitable film of 2026 at the worldwide box office according to data from Box Office Mojo, earning a gross total of $523 million during its theatrical run. It's no surprise that when Obsession moved to streaming, it continued finding success on Peacock, but going into November, the end of Obsession's victory lap is officially drawing near.
When is Obsession leaving Peacock?
Obsession is leaving Peacock on Nov. 17, 2026, the same date that the film is expected to launch on Netflix in the United States. The film first hit Peacock on July 17, 2026, and drew in 456 million minutes streamed in just its first two days on the service, according to data from Nielsen. It went on to spend more than 150 days on JustWatch’s U.S. streaming Top 10 list, further cementing its domination in the industry.
Obsession was more than just a blockbuster and streaming hit. It became a cultural phenomenon in the months that followed its release, with fans drawn into conversations online about the film's themes surrounding bodily autonomy and consent. A Nikki Freeman actor drew thousands of visitors to California's Halloween Horror Nights this fall, including Inde Navarette herself, and Obsession reached as far as Fortnite, where a Nikki Freeman skin was released for the game in November 2026 (complete with a "No, No, No..." emote).
Even Barker, who first built a following for himself making sketches and short films on YouTube, didn't expect the success that came with Obsession. In a June 2026 interview with the Associated Press, he said, "“That’s when you start to feel this impostor syndrome of like: What? It’s not that good. All I see when I watch ‘Obsession’ is the problems.”
The film follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a lonely, awkward man with strong, unrequited feelings for his friend Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette). After failing to confess his feelings, Bear stumbles upon a One Wish Willow in a novelty shop. The instructions seem simple enough: make a wish, break the willow stick, and watch your deepest desires come true, but when Bear wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone else in the entire world, his dream quickly turns into a nightmare. The film has received plenty of praise from critics and audience members, including Polygon writer Jesse Hassenger, who wrote, "Navarrette gets plenty of time to believably and charmingly establish who Nikki is before the wish takes her true self away. Once that happens, she does bravura work as this imitation version, regularly flying off the handle with panicked eagerness or cackling mania, creating an unusual combination of fear and pity — a true movie monster crossing possession with a Bride of Frankenstein figure."
It's worth noting that Obsession's move to Netflix this month comes as awards season nears, and it could very well be a strategic decision to keep the film in the spotlight. Focus Features, the production company behind Obsession, is definitely pushing for consideration in the forthcoming Academy Awards. The company's website suggests Obsession for Best Picture, Inde Navarrette for Best Actress, and Curry Barker for Best Original Screenplay, among other categories.