‘Obsession’ blurs love and fixation

Obsession, a new supernatural horror movie, presents a modern take on the “be careful what you wish for” trope through a twisted romance.

The story follows Bear, who uses a mysterious item called a “One Wish Willow” to make his longtime crush, Nikki, fall in love with him. What begins as a happily-ever-after fantasy soon spirals into obsession.

The film is screening in Ster-Kinekor theatres and Nu Metro cinemas from today (15 May 2026).

Best friends and coworkers Ian and Sara become increasingly suspicious after Bear and Nikki suddenly begin a relationship. As Nikki’s behaviour grows more intense, the relationship starts affecting those around them.

“With Obsession, I wanted to tell a story about how far someone’s fixation on another person can go,” says writer and director Curry Barker. “At what point does something we call love stop being love? And beyond that, what does the word ‘love’ even mean?

“I wanted to take a story we’ve all seen before – a wish story – and ground it in the real world, flipping it on its head to make something completely new. I love putting ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, but what matters just as much is that every character reacts in natural, believable ways.

“I want people leaving the theatre still talking – arguing over how they felt, what they would have done differently, and whether what they saw was love or obsession.”

Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette star as Bear and Nikki, while Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless play Ian and Sara.