Hit Japanese Video Game Adaptation From Cannes Sets American Release Window

Exit 8 has announced its American release window. The Japanese movie is an adaptation of the video game of the same name. Set in the underground world of the 2023 game, Exit 8 tells the story of a man who gets lost in a pᴀssageway and follows a guide in an attempt to escape.

The movie is directed by Genki Kawamura and features the leading cast of Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, and Nana Komatsu. Exit 8 screened out of compeтιтion at the Cannes Film Festival in May of this year, and will also go to the Toronto International Film Festival next month.

According to Collider, Exit 8 has officially set its release window. The movie’s North American distribution rights were acquired by NEON, and the company announced an early 2026 American release window. However, a more specific release date has not been revealed.

What This Release Window Means For Exit 8

Two characters on their phones in the bathroom in Parasite.

Being acquired by NEON is a good sign for Exit 8, as the distributor has done well with both international and domestic releases in the past several years. They distributed Best Picture winners Anora and Parasite, as well as Oscar nominees The Seed of the Sacred Fig and Anatomy of a Fall.

Another point in Exit 8‘s direction is its positive reception thus far. The movie received a (тιтle appropriate) eight-minute standing ovation at Cannes upon its premiere. There are only eight critics’ reviews aggregated so far, which is not enough to amᴀss a Tomatometer for the film, but it has generally been praised.

The only unfortunate thing about Exit 8‘s approximate release date is that it will not be in theaters at prime time in North America. An early-in-the-year release is not typically good for either awards potential or the box office. If Exit 8 continues its strong review streak, however, it could reach through to audiences.

Our Take On The Exit 8 Release Date

Exit 8 is coming out during a time when video game adaptations are increasingly popular, spanning both child-targeted and more adult games. This year alone has seen game adaptation тιтles such as A Minecraft Movie and Until Dawn.

There are also more major games with movies in development, such as the Death Stranding movie and the recently announced film adaptation of The Medium. It will be interesting to see where Exit 8 fits into the conversation regarding the quality and potential of the modern-day video game adaptation.