This Horror Movie Inspired By The Original Backrooms Videos Is A Streaming Hit

"Exit 8," an adaptation of the horror video game of the same name, has become a huge streaming hit. In the wake of smaller, indie ideas turning into box office gold, "Exit 8" has found its success thanks to the knock-on effect of "Backrooms," directed by Kane Parsons. In fact, "Exit 8" was inspired by the unsettling concept that spurred on the virality of the original "Backrooms" story. Often referred to as "liminal spaces," these otherworldly locations combine minimalism and recognizable imagery with an eerie atmosphere. 

Now available on Paramount+, "Exit 8" is finding huge success on the platform. It has hit number five on the service's top ten movies, as users catch up on the massive spate of horror films that have released in recent years. Of course, those seeking similar vibes to "Backrooms," will find plenty to like about "Exit 8." 

The film's success on Paramount+ isn't unexpected. "Exit 8" garnered wide praise on the festival circuit, winning five different awards and being nominated for another four. Bizarrely, it was lumped into the "Superhero" category at the Critics' Choice awards, with star Kazunari Ninomiya being nominated for "Best Actor in a Superhero Movie."

Released in late-2023, the video game "The Exit 8" sees the player having to traverse a seemingly endless and repeating train station. Looking for Exit 8, the player is required to turn back if they notice that there's an anomaly in the corridor, or progress forward if it's normal.

The film adaptation keeps the same rules, but expands upon the game's horror in its presentation. While the game relied on bursts of tension followed by jump scares, the movie opts to create a singular thread of tension throughout, ramping it up with the creepy iconography from the game.

There's great behind-the-scenes videos of the film being made, especially when they have to start a loop. Rather than cutting and resetting the scene, the director turned it into one long continuous shot, with in-camera tricks and smart edits to smooth it out. Seeing the actor playing the creepy man who appears in the corridors run through the sound stage to hop on a bike for the next sequence, is a simple, but effective trick. Sometimes the simplest method is the best.

As with the game, the film follows an unnamed character as they try to figure their way out of the unending corridors. Played by Kazunari Ninomiya, the film does take some deviations from the original game, by introducing other characters into the mix. However, it still keeps that eerie vibe that the game became well-known for, especially as the unending fluorescent-lit corridors begin to weigh heavily on the mind.

It turns what was a fairly basic, but interesting horror video game into a much more emotional story, something that the game is void of. As with "Backrooms," or "Obsession" and "Hokum," there's a far deeper emotional layer to pick apart here than it originally lets on. However, unlike "Backrooms," or even the latter two, "Exit 8" is far more on the nose than its cohorts, but still, an excellent film to stick on in the evening for a quick bout of tension.

Much like how "Exit 8" dropped out of nowhere on gaming platforms, the film adaptation was surprisingly quick to appear as well. Between the game's launch and the film's announcement, it was around a year, with the film debuting in 2025. It went on to have huge financial success, and might possibly be an inspiration for Hollywood prowling around for small ideas to convert into films, as with "Backrooms."