‘Obsession’ director Curry Barker returns with new horror short ‘Mama Bear’ for Halloween

Details about the plot were initially kept under wraps ahead of the premiere, with the title and cast offering few clues about the story. However, the short’s release continues Barker’s interest in horror projects that build suspense around unsettling situations.

The collaboration with Windows also gives the short a branded entertainment component, bringing a major technology company into a project from a filmmaker whose career began with online videos and independent horror productions. Barker first gained attention through You.

Tube horror shorts, including The Chair, before making the found-footage feature Milk & Serial, which he released for free online in 2024. His work on the platform helped establish an audience before his move into studio filmmaking.

His career reached a new level with Obsession, a horror film released by Focus Features in May 2026. The movie became a major box-office success, earning more than $500 million worldwide despite its reported production budget of less than $1 million.

The success has led to several new projects for Barker. He is directing Anything But Ghosts, a horror-comedy starring himself and Tomlinson, which is scheduled to reach cinemas on May 7, 2027. He has also been attached to a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film.

With Mama Bear, Barker is returning to the platform that helped launch his career while continuing to expand his work beyond short-form online horror. The new short arrives during one of the busiest periods of the year for horror releases, giving fans another project from the filmmaker before Halloween.