The Gender War Over 'Obsession' Has Come for Theme Parks

Debate over the true villain in is raging again after Universal Studios announced the movie's female lead will be featured at an upcoming Halloween event. By any metric, the horror film has been one of the most extraordinary Hollywood success stories of 2026. Made on a budget of around $750,000 and released in May, it went on to earn $488 million worldwide, catapulting 26-year-old director and screenwriter Curry Barker--originally known for his YouTube sketch comedy--to the top of the industry's "it" list. So why, you might ask, are people creating a stink over Universal Studios, the international distributor of, adding its lead female character, Nikki, to the cast of the Halloween Horror Nights event at its Hollywood theme park? Even though the actor who plays her seems very much on board?