NEON Sets April 10, 2026 Theatrical Release for Japanese Thriller ‘Exit 8’

An endless subway becomes a waking nightmare in Genki Kawamura’s Exit 8. Goodfellas

NEON is bringing one of the most buzzed-about international thrillers of the past year stateside this spring.

The distributor has set a nationwide theatrical release for Exit 8 on April 10, 2026, following a dominant festival run and a breakout performance in Japan. Directed by Genki Kawamura, the film world-premiered in the Midnight section at the Cannes Film Festival, where it reportedly received an eight-minute standing ovation.

Since then, Exit 8 has continued its global march through top-tier festivals, screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, and most recently the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The film is currently sitting at a 97% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and grossed over $27 million during its run in Japan.

Based on the cult video game created by Exit 8 creator Kotake Create, the film follows a man trapped inside an endless, sterile subway corridor. Portrayed by Kazunari Ninomiya, the character is tasked with escaping by following a deceptively simple set of rules: observe everything carefully, identify anomalies, turn back if something feels wrong, and only proceed if nothing is out of place. One mistake sends him back to the beginning.

The result is a tightly wound psychological thriller that weaponizes repetition, perception, and anxiety—turning everyday spaces into existential traps. It’s minimal, relentless, and deeply unsettling in ways that genre fans will appreciate.

Exit 8 marks Kawamura’s second feature as director, following A Hundred Flowers, which earned him Best Director at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Kawamura is also widely known as a producer on major animated and live-action works including Your Name, Mirai, Belle, and Monster, and as the author of the international bestseller If Cats Disappeared From the World.

The supporting cast includes Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, and Nana Komatsu. The screenplay was written by Kawamura alongside Kentaro Hirase, with producers Yuto Sakata, Kenji Yamada, Akita Yamamoto, and Taichi Ito.

The release continues NEON’s strong momentum following its 18 Oscar nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, the second-most of any studio.

Exit 8 opens wide April 10, 2026, alongside Guy Ritchie’s In the Grey, Universal’s You, Me & Tuscany, and an untitled Shudder theatrical release. For more on the film, be sure to check out our full review on the site.