Steven Spielberg knows a thing or two about becoming successful at a young age. After all, he was only 28 when Jaws turned him into one of the most important filmmakers in Hollywood. So, when fans recently asked what advice he would give to the young directors behind two of the biggest new horror movie releases who suddenly found themselves in similar positions, his answer felt especially meaningful. The director just dropped some knowledge for the “up-and-coming” young minds behind Backrooms and Obsessions.
Just recently, Spielberg appeared on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast and answered listener questions. As part of that the Oscar winner was asked about Kane Parsons, the young filmmaker behind the new A24 movie release Backrooms, and Curry Barker, whose horror film, Obsession, has become one of the breakout successes of the 2026 movie schedule. The fan pointed out that Spielberg was nearly the same age when Jaws changed his career and the blockbuster landscape forever. Asked what advice he would offer the two filmmakers, he answered:
Don’t let success go to your heads. Uh do not let wild success go to your heads because when you make your next movie, you’re starting from scratch. It’s always good to have a big hit to shore up your reputation and you’re going to get a lot of respect from the executives, from the film world, from the studios.
Honestly, that feels like advice a lot of people in creative fields could probably use. Parsons and Barker have suddenly found themselves in a position most filmmakers dream about. Parsons went from creating viral found-footage shorts on YouTube to directing a major (and ’90s set) adaptation of Backrooms. Meanwhile, Barker, turned Obsession into one of the horror stories audiences simply can not stop talking about. But, according to Spielberg, success itself can create a trap if filmmakers start believing the previous victory guarantees the next one.
A couple of questions later, the Amistad helmer elaborated further on that idea and admitted it was something he personally had to learn over the course of his own career. He continued:
…giving them the advice that I have had to learn the hard way that we all start over again. And if you make get a chance to make 20, 30 films in your career, you will discover maybe on your second or third film that you’re beginning your career all over again at the outset of every single project.
That perspective feels especially interesting coming from someone whose list of best movies includes Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan and countless other classics. From the outside, it can seem like the Minority Report director simply moves from one landmark film to the next. But, apparently, he still feels the same nerves and blank-page pressure younger filmmakers face.
In fact, when asked whether he still felt that way while making his newest film, the sci-fi alien thriller Disclosure Day, Spielberg didn’t hesitate, adding:
I did [feel that on Disclosure Day], absolutely. Every movie I made, I feel like I’m going back to the beginning.
There is something comforting about knowing one of the most successful directors in cinema history still feels like he’s starting over every time he walks onto a set. Honestly, that mindset may be part of why the E.T. moviemaker has lasted so long in the business. Rather than assuming experience guarantees success, he approaches each project as its own challenge.
For young directors like Parsons and Barker, that is probably a valuable lesson. Big hits can open doors, earn trust and create opportunities. But they do not eliminate the work. Clearly, in Spielberg’s eyes, every movie is still Day One. Apparently, even after half a century of blockbusters, the king of Hollywood still feels like the new kid trying to prove himself.
Steven Spielberg’s latest, Disclosure Day, just landed in theaters, where it is sharing screens with Backrooms and Obsession. So, if you want to make a full cinema day out of all three, you absolutely can.
