New Horror Thriller Inspired By 82-Year-Old Story Earns Strong Rotten Tomatoes Score Ahead Of Release

Published Aug 20, 2026, 1:34 PM EDT Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour. Ahead of the theatrical release of Neon's new film It Ends, the horror thriller has made its debut on Rotten Tomatoes with a strong score from critics. The movie centers on a group of friends who head out on a drive late at night after graduation. Unfortunately, an unexpected obstacle prevents them from going back home because, while out on the road, the highway they're driving on seemingly has no end in sight. It Ends arrives in U.S. theaters on August 21. Critics have gotten the chance to screen the horror film, and reviews so far are overwhelmingly positive. As of August 20, It Ends is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 94%. Critics are calling the story unexpected, breathtaking, unsettling and filled with dread, with audiences being forced to subvert their expectations. First-time feature-length director Alexander Ullom is being praised for infusing the genre with a fresh voice and vision. ScreenRant's Brandon Zachary said that It Ends is one of the best horror movies of the year. The rare negative reviews claim that the movie is frustrating and not worth the feature-length run time. Not only did Ullom direct the film, but he also wrote the script and served as the editor. His producers were Carrie Carusone and Evan Barber. Phinehas Yoon, Noah Toth, Akira Jackson, Mitchell Cole, Jenny Doyle, Jon Linstad and Ian Weir are the stars of the film, with Ullom himself making an appearance as well. Audiences already got the chance to watch It Ends back in March 2025 when the movie screened at the South By Southwest Film & TV Festival as part of the Narrative Feature Competition alongside Bunny, Fantasy Life, F***toys, My Uncle Jens, Outerlands, Reeling and Slanted. Another Simple Favor, The Accountant 2 and Drop were among the headliners that year. Later in 2025, It Ends got a limited digital release on Letterboxd, before Neon bought the rights to theatrically release the film, which it will do this month. Over the years, the film and distribution company has released movies like EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, Sentimental Value, The Life of Chuck, Anora, Ferrari, Spencer, Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry, Parasite and I, Tonya. Neon has also explored the horror genre with Longlegs and The Monkey, among others. After It Ends, Neon will then release Hope, Fjord, Once Upon a Time in Harlem, Paper Tiger, All of a Sudden and Clarissa throughout the rest of 2026. It Ends may be Ullom's feature-length directorial debut, but it won't be his last. He's already filmed another Neon horror movie called 4 X 4: The Event, which will star Sophia Lillis, Jaden Smith, Jacob Tremblay and Dylan Minnette. They're playing contestants competing in a disturbing and deadly livestream. It Ends will be released in theaters on Friday, August 21, 2026. Release Date August 21, 2026 Runtime 89 minutes Director Alexander Ullom Writers Alexander Ullom Producers Carrie Carusone, Evan Barber A group of recent college graduates take a late-night drive that leads them onto an nightmarish endless highway. Main Genre Horror Executive Producer(s) Andrew Mayne, Ben Mekler, Carson Tappan, Christopher Amick, Elle León Nostas, Jessica Wu, Keith Calder, Roshni Rush Bhatia, Ryan Keely