The Best Debut Horror Game Of 2023 Is Getting a Movie Next Year

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Toho, a Japanese production company, has turned the critically acclaimed 2023 horror game The Exit 8 into a movie, also titled Exit 8. The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in Spring 2025 and launched in Japan at the end of August. Moviegoers in North America can expect to see it in 2026.

Even though The Exit 8 is a “walking simulator” – a game focused on exploration rather than action – and generally less visually dramatic than something like The Last of Us, it actually lends itself well to a film adaptation. The game is strange and open to interpretation, putting you in the role of a man trying to escape a Tokyo subway station. This simple idea plays out as a repeating series of hallways, similar to P.T., where each loop has a unique change or oddity. These changes can be subtle, like a different poster, or major, like new characters and immediate dangers such as flooding. While there’s a bit of a backstory to the game’s creepy atmosphere, it’s largely left up to the player to figure out.

The game Exit 8 was created by a single developer, KOTAKE CREATE, who completed it in just nine months.

Everything We Know About The Exit 8’s Movie Adaptation

Key Players in the Exit 8 Film

  • Director: Genki Kawamura
  • Screenplay: Kentaro Hirase & Genki Kawamura
  • Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya & Nana Komatsu
  • North American Distribution by Neon

Genki Kawamura is a director, writer, and producer who first gained widespread recognition for his 2012 novel, If Cats Disappeared from the World. Exit 8 marks his third time directing a film. He’s again working with Kentaro Hirase, who co-wrote the script; the two previously collaborated as co-directors on the 2018 drama Duality.

The movie stars Kazunari Ninomiya as the main character, and Nana Komatsu as a brand new, mysterious character not found in the original game. Because movies need developed characters, Ninomiya and Komatsu bring depth to their roles, expanding the story, adding backstory, and making the emotional connections stronger. Yamato Kochi, a newcomer to acting since 2023, plays the intriguing “Walking Man” who appears in the game.

Originally released by Toho in Japan, the film will be distributed in North America by Neon, the company behind popular movies like Parasite, Longlegs, and Triangle of Sadness. Given Neon’s success with international films, this gives fans reason to believe Exit 8 will be a high-quality movie.

Is the Exit 8 Movie Any Good?

It’s still too early to know how audiences in North America will react to Exit 8, but the film has gotten off to a strong start internationally. By the standards of video game adaptations, it’s been critically well-received, currently holding a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film debuted at number two in Japan, only behind the newest Demon Slayer movie, and also did well in South Korea, Russia, and France. While major awards have been limited so far, Exit 8 received a nomination for Best Feature Film and won the award for Best Music at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain.

Besides being shown at Cannes and Sitges, the film Exit 8 was also screened at the Toronto and Melbourne International Film Festivals.

When Is Exit 8 Releasing in North America?

  • Exit 8 North American release window: early 2026

Neon hasn’t announced a specific release date for Exit 8 yet, but they’re aiming for early 2026. The film, originally from Japan, will be shown in theaters throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Details about exactly how many theaters will show it are still to come.

Releasing Exit 8 early in the year isn’t perfect timing, since most people go to the movies more during the summer or around the holidays. Distributors often release films they don’t expect to be huge hits during these slower months – some even call them “dump months.” But that can actually help a unique horror movie like Exit 8, because many beloved and cult classic horror films – like The Silence of the Lambs, Cloverfield, and Scanners – were also released at this time.

What to Expect from Exit 8’s US Release

It will be fascinating to see how American audiences react to Exit 8, especially considering how different horror preferences are around the world. The film’s reception here could be quite different than it was in Japan, France, and other countries. However, its release in the US also makes Exit 8 eligible for major awards like the Oscars and Golden Globes. If Neon, the distributor, heavily promotes the film—as they’ve done with other international releases—it could gain significant recognition in the US and beyond.

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2025-12-13 13:04