‘Exit 8’- Psychological Thriller Finally Gets a Release Date, Here’s All You Need to Know

Published 02/04/2026, 12:12 AM EST

Amid the bustling fluorescence of a busy world lit with cantankerous footsteps, Exit 8 lingers like a prolonged silence. An endless subway corridor to a man who must decide between two paths that hold either rescue or destruction for him. The film's unsettling rhythm has captivated both critics and festival audiences as its complex maze requires precise observation skills. It has already become one of the most popular thrillers of the year, and to add to the excitement, it finally opens in theatres soon.

Exit 8 invites viewers to explore spaces that combine strange familiarity with a silent impossibility. Prepare to be trapped by the Japanese thriller's one-of-a-kind mystery.

Everything to know about the theatrical run of Exit 8

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Theaters across the US will celebrate NEON's most popular international thriller from recent years on April 10, 2026. Exit 8 depicts a twisted, Japanese mystery-horror through its mind-bending structure. Directed by Genki Kawamura, the film is an adaptation of the cult video game with the same title and has already received rave reviews from critics. 

The movie, which premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival Midnight Screenings, received an eight-minute standing ovation. Since then, it has continued to triumph at global film festival circuit from the Toronto International Film Festival to the Busan International Film Festival and the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and is currently championing a 97% Rotten Tomatoes critics score.

Exit 8 has already grossed over $27 million in Japan during its initial theatrical run. With its US release by NEON, the film is projected to gain international traction for its minimal yet relentless psychological contraption that uses recurrence, perception, and everyday spaces as tools to generate deeply unsettling anxiety. 

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Unlike any other psychological thriller, this Japanese movie about guilt and redemption has already earned cult status within the genre.

What to expect from Exit 8?

Exit 8 presents its main character, played by Kazunari Ninomiya, who wakes up in a subway tunnel that continues without end. His mission to reach Exit 8 forces him to navigate an unending subway tunnel, which he needs to escape. The film creates intense psychological stress through his tiny errors, which lead to his return to the starting point. It essentially warps actual events with hallucinated experiences.

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The film features supporting actors who include Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase and Nana Komatsu. With a dazed, nightmare-like atmosphere through the stellar cast, the film zooms in on isolation and desperation. It transforms common locations into spaces that make spreads existential distress outside the screens, seeping into the audience's perception. Prepare to unlock intense focus while hitting the theatres for Exit 8 this April.

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Will you be watching Exit 8 in theaters? Leave a comment.

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Ipshita Chakraborty

591 articles

Ipshita Chakraborty is an entertainment writer at Netflix Junkie. Offering thoughtful and compelling storytelling, they cover everything Hollywood and trending, from the latest streaming sensations to behind-the-scenes buzz. With about 7 years of writing experience for online media, Ipshita brings their voice to the coverage through industry analysis and cultural critique, a strength evident in prior work, such as their views on why the Michaela gender swap was needed in Bridgerton.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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