A live-action film based on the game 'The Exit 8' has announced its upcoming local release.

Film distributor Media Castle shared the news via its official X account on the 14th, confirming that the live-action adaptation of The Exit 8 will hit local theatres soon. Specific release dates and participating cinema chains have yet to be disclosed.

The Exit 8 is a horror game crafted by Japanese developer Kotake Create. The premise is simple yet maddening: navigate an infinitely looping subway corridor and find the eighth exit to escape. It gained global notoriety for its bizarre anomalies, minimalist but addictive mechanics, and that uncanny salaryman character pacing through the station.

Capitalising on this momentum, Japanese studio Toho Animation took the helm for the film adaptation, scheduled for a theatrical release in Japan on August 29. While the original game features only the first-person protagonist and the salaryman, the film expands the cast to five characters. Director Genki Kawamura intends to keep dialogue and soliloquies to a minimum, instead leaning into an experiential style that prioritises physical performance, cinematography, and sound design to capture that distinct, claustrophobic dread of The Exit 8.

An official novelization was also announced. Authored by the film's director, Genki Kawamura, the book dives deep into the concept of the original's claustrophobic underground passage, where one is trapped in an eternal cycle of choosing to 'go forward or turn back.' Director Kawamura claims the narrative explores universal themes of life, death, and the latent guilt harboured by modern individuals.