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Exit 8 (film)

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Exit 8
Teaser poster
Japanese8番出口
Directed byGenki Kawamura
Written by
  • Genki Kawamura
  • Kentaro Hirase
Based onThe Exit 8
by Kotake Create
Produced byGenki Kawamura
Starring
CinematographyKeisuke Imamura
Edited bySakura Seya
Music byYasutaka Nakata
Production
companies
  • STORY inc.
  • AOI Pro.
Distributed byToho
Release dates
  • May 19, 2025 (2025-05-19) (Cannes)
  • August 29, 2025 (2025-08-29) (Japan)
Running time
95 minutes[1]
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Exit 8 (Japanese: 8番出口, Hepburn: Hachiban Deguchi) is a 2025 Japanese psychological horror film written and directed by Genki Kawamura, based on the 2023 adventure game The Exit 8 published by Kotake Create.

The film had its world premiere at the Midnight Screenings of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025, and will be theatrically released in Japan by Toho on August 29, 2025.

Premise

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A man trapped in a endless sterile subway passageway sets out to find Exit 8. The rules of his quest are simple: do not overlook anything out of the ordinary. If you discover an anomaly, turn back immediately. If you don’t, carry on. Then leave from Exit 8. But even a single oversight will send him back to the beginning. Will he ever reach his goal and escape this infinite corridor?.[1]

Cast

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Production

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Cast and crew at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

A live-action film based on The Exit 8 video game was announced by Toho on December 27, 2024,[4] with Genki Kawamura [ja] set to write, produce and direct the film.,[5][6] starring Kazunari Ninomiya and Yamato Kochi [ja] as the "lost man" and "walking man" respectively.[7][8]

Filming took place from late 2024 to early 2025 in Tokyo, mainly in a set that was built as a replica of the original game's underground passage.[9]

The first teaser trailer was released internationally by Toho in March 2025.[10] On May 2, 2025, it was announced that an eponymous novel would be published alongside the movie, written by the director and writer Genki Kawamura.[11]

Release

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Exit 8 is scheduled to release on August 29, 2025 in Japan, and internationally in September 2025.[12] It was selected to be screened out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in May 2025.[13][14]

Reception

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Jonathan Romney from Screen International wrote "A rare game-based movie that actually has the feel of a game, with confoundingly tricky rules, Exit 8 should achieve solid cult status beyond Japan".[15] Clarence Tsui from South China Morning Post gave it 3 stars out of 5, stating that "Genki Kawamura has turned a simple premise – in which a player is made to run repeatedly down a short underground passage to search for a way out – into a psychological thriller exploring a man’s guilt and redemption".[16]

The film received an eight-minute standing ovation at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Exit 8". Cannes Film Festival. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  2. ^ "Exit 8 starring Kazunari Ninomiya officially invited to Cannes Film Festival's Midnight Screening section". Tokyohive. April 10, 2025. Archived from the original on May 21, 2025. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  3. ^ "小松菜奈の出演が決定! 二宮和也と共に初の海外映画祭・カンヌへ!" [Nana Komatsu's appearance has been confirmed! She will be heading to her first overseas film festival, Cannes, with Kazunari Ninomiya!]. Toho (in Japanese). May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  4. ^ Loo, Egan (December 27, 2024). "The Exit 8 Infinite-Loop Horror Game Gets Live-Action Film in 2025". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 23, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Navarro, Meagan (February 6, 2025). "'Exit 8' Live-Action Adaptation of Liminal, Infinite Looping Horror Game on the Way from Toho". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  6. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (February 5, 2025). "Goodfellas Unveils Star-Studded EFM Slate With New Films By Cristian Mungiu, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Claire Denis, Saeed Roustaee, Mario Martone, Raoul Peck & Fresh Berlinale Acquisition". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  7. ^ Loo, Egan (March 27, 2025). "The Exit 8 Live-Action Film's Teaser Announces Kazunari Ninomiya as Lead, August 29 Opening". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  8. ^ Tokunaga, Hirotaka (March 28, 2025). "映画「8番出口」の主演キャスト解禁！ "迷う男"は二宮和也さん、"歩く男"は河内大和さんに決定" [The lead cast of the movie "Exit 8" has been announced! Kazunari Ninomiya will play the "Lost Man" and Yamato Kawachi will play the "Walking Man"]. Game Impress Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  9. ^ "『8番出口』2025年実写映画化決定。不可思議で不気味なエンドレスループ映像初公開" ["Exit 8" to be made into a live-action movie in 2025. Mysterious and eerie endless loop footage unveiled for the first time]. Dengeki Online (in Japanese). December 27, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  10. ^ Nightingale, Ed (March 28, 2025). "Cult Japanese horror game The Exit 8 gets first film trailer". Eurogamer. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  11. ^ "小説「８番出口」刊行決定!" [Novel ‘Exit 8’ to be published!]. Toho (in Japanese). May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  12. ^ "The Exit 8 Live-Action Film Coming on August 29". Play-Asia Blog. March 31, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  13. ^ "The films of the Official Selection 2025". Cannes Film Festival. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  14. ^ Brazier, Tori (May 12, 2025). "The 7 movies at Cannes Film Festival 2025 I'm most excited for". Metro. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  15. ^ Romney, Jonathan (May 19, 2025). "'Exit 8' review: Tokyo's subway is an endless purgatory in 'ingenious' video game adaptation". Screen Daily. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  16. ^ Tsui, Clarence (May 19, 2025). "Cannes 2025: Exit 8 movie review – live-action adaptation of walking simulator video game". South China Morning Post. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  17. ^ "二宮和也&小松菜奈、『8番出口』カンヌで大盛況「ほっとしています」 晴天の下で笑顔". Oricon (in Japanese). May 20, 2025. Archived from the original on June 2, 2025. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
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