One of the Weirdest Video Games of 2023 Is Getting a Movie, And It Just got a Major Update

The past few years have been somewhat of a renaissance for gaming-related projects in TV and film, as fans have seen franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog, Fallout, Twisted Metal, and Mario flourish in both mediums. The future looks immensely bright as well, with other beloved franchises like Warhammer, God of War, and Wolfenstein all on the way. Those aren’t the only video Game projects in development, however, and one of the weirdest video game adaptations just got a major (and unexpected) update.

The project in question is Exit 8, and according to THR, Neon has acquired the North American rights to the thriller, which will be directed by Genki Kawamura. The film was showcased at Cannes and will also be featured at the Toronto Film Festival, and is aiming for release in early 2026.

Exit 8 stars Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, and Nana Komatsu, and features a script written by Kawamura and Kentaro Hirase. As for Neon, they also have Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident coming up, as well as Sirat, The Secret Agent, and Arco, which is the animated film from Ugo Bienvenu and Natalie Portman.

For those unfamiliar with the original game, Exit 8 has the player walking through an endless underground passageway in first person and looking for a way out. To make that happen, you’ll need to pay attention to anomalies and figure out what the game is trying to tell you, and if you follow the right clues, you’ll eventually find a way out of the passageway.

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From the new film’s synopsis, that central premise is accounted for in the big-screen adaptation as well. It remains to be seen how the film will adapt the various anomalies you see throughout the game and how the story will be handled overall, but while we wait for its big screen debut, you can find the official synopsis below.

“The story follows a man trapped in an endless, sterile subway passageway, who 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?”

Are you excited to see Exit 8 on the big screen? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things movies and gaming with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!