Hideo Kojima has praised the craft behind Backrooms and hinted that his meeting with director Kane Parsons could lead to a future collaboration. The comments came during a Japanese Q&A held to mark the film’s cinema release in the country.
The film reached Japanese cinemas several months after its initial United States release. Kojima has been involved in the local promotional campaign, contributing a comment for promotional posters before joining Parsons for a discussion following a screening in Roppongi, Tokyo.
His interest also has a clear industry connection: Backrooms was produced by A24, the same company working with Kojima on his own film project. Japanese entertainment site Eiga Natalie reported on the event, where Kojima discussed the film’s mystery, tension and distinctive atmosphere.
Kojima had already seen Parsons’ original Backrooms short and had been curious about how its concept would translate into a feature film. He praised the finished production’s visual design, sound work, narrative structure and use of cinematic misdirection, joking that the quality left him feeling “a little jealous”.
“The movie is full of clever tricks, and its art and sound direction are so inspired,” Kojima said. He added that the visual and audio elements were integrated so effectively that he felt he could “hardly compete with such talent”.
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Kojima also shared a light-hearted story from the Japanese premiere. In the United States, Backrooms received an R rating, while it was rated G in Japan, making it unrestricted for viewers of all ages. The screening included parents and young children, some of whom reportedly told their parents after the film that they might not sleep that night.
Recalling the experience on Twitter, Kojima said one young boy repeatedly asked his father how the enormous Backrooms spaces had been created and whether they were computer-generated. Kojima considered telling him that the production used physical sets, but decided not to interrupt the conversation.
Kojima documented the Japanese premiere on social media, thanking Parsons and Risa Unai for the stage greeting. His September 4, 2026 post also included Yanpi and Emma Iggo.
The connection between the two filmmakers became more intriguing before the screening. Parsons was photographed at the entrance to Kojima Productions, following a pattern familiar to fans who have seen Kojima meet actors and directors he admires.
During the Roppongi Q&A, Parsons said their meeting might not be a one-off. After speaking about Japanese architecture and other aspects of his visit, he said he would like to “collaborate with a certain someone in the near future”. Neither filmmaker announced a specific project, so any partnership remains unconfirmed.
Why a Kojima and Parsons project makes sense
Backrooms grew from an online horror concept built around liminal spaces, uncertainty and the fear of environments that feel familiar but fundamentally wrong. Those ideas align naturally with Kojima’s interest in cinematic storytelling, unsettling worlds and unusual forms of immersion.
Whether Parsons eventually appears in a Kojima Productions project, or the pair develop something together, is still unknown. For now, their Japanese premiere conversation offers an intriguing creative possibility rather than a confirmed announcement.
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