‘Barbarian’ Memes Dominate Halloweekend As Breakout Success Hits Streaming

The 20th Century Studios film Barbarian is one of the few feel-good stories of the year. It’s proof that a smaller movie made with care and creativity can still connect with audiences, and also make a boatload of money. And it’s always good to have another reminder to never, ever walk down into a creepy basement, no matter what noises you hear. 

There’s a lot that’s surprising about this success story of a movie, and that’s before you get to the movie’s surprises. It was written and directed by Zach Cregger, who is not exactly a household name, but those who know and love him remember him primarily as a part of the absurdist comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U’ Know. Yes, that’s him as Abraham Lincoln. Cregger’s first feature film was 2009’s Miss March, which co-starred the late Trevor Moore and was a critical and financial disaster.

Barbarian was made for “under $5 million,” according to Box Office Mojo, and was financed independently. (Initial producers J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, who also made the recent indie horror gem The Vigil, teamed up with Cregger after “every production company that had made a horror movie in the last 15 years … said no.”) While Disney, which distributes 20th Century and Searchlight films, have moved to put many titles from those companies (like Prey and Fire Island) directly on Hulu, the Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and, in a potentially career-shifting role, Justin Long-starring horror pic avoided this fate. It was a smart decision, as the movie made close to $41 million at the domestic box office.  

Financial success is one thing. Integration into pop culture’s lingua franca is another. Barbarian hit HBO Max on Oct 25, and for a marked seven day frame that ended the very next day, it was already the fifth most streamed title across all platforms. As time got closer to Halloweekend, the conversation only increased. 

With viewers watching at home, that naturally meant cracking jokes, so we are officially at the point where you need to get off social media if you want to avoid Barbarian spoilers. And probably stop reading this article, too.

Here is how one fan described their emotions while watching the unpredictable film. 

While Lady Gaga has yet to specifically comment on Barbarian’s twists and turns, one could perhaps look to some of her earlier statements as a guide.