EXCLUSIVE: The director of It Ends discusses the six-year journey behind Neon’s existential horror film.

      Writer-director Alex Ullom has emerged in the horror genre with his latest road-trip film, It Ends. This Neon horror movie centers around four friends who embark on a drive and find themselves stuck on an endless road, where they must make a choice between continuing to drive or accepting their fate in this never-ending nightmare.

      In an interview with Digital Trends, Ullom shared insights into his six-year journey to bring the film to the big screen, along with his inspirations and interpretation of the narrative. He also mentioned that his upcoming horror film, 4 X 4: The Event, will be even more intense than It Ends.

      This transcript has been condensed for brevity and clarity.

      Digital Trends: What inspired this story?

      Ullom: My brutal transition into adulthood played a major role in that, along with my experiences trying to navigate it with a group of friends. Inspiration-wise, I’ve always envisioned it as if Linklater made a horror film.

      Digital Trends: That really stood out in the story. It illustrated how the four friends drift apart, especially as one tries to move away, only to find themselves trapped on an infinite road. That was a wild yet clever concept. What made you choose the endless road trip?

      Ullom: I think liminal spaces represent a sense of comfort for people my age right now because we’ve been in a transitional phase. Many of the structural anchors we once had, like family or home ownership, no longer exist.

      Being in continuous motion closely resembles what it feels like to be an adult. I'm still learning about adulthood, feeling like I've only just come of age, so it's hard to grasp everything fully.

      Digital Trends: I completely relate, and I've noticed that liminal horror has gained popularity recently—movies like Backrooms and Exit 8. I felt your film is essentially a road trip version of that. What does the road symbolize for you?

      Ullom: Come on, I can’t give that away. It would spoil everything.

      Digital Trends: I understand you leave it up to interpretation, but I had to ask!

      Ullom: Of course.

      Digital Trends: Do you think you would endure the road as long as the final character, James? Some characters stay in the car while others do not, but ultimately, he's the one who reaches the end. Would you make it that far?

      Ullom: I think my younger self would have done exactly what James did. But now, I’d probably go along with whoever I was stuck on the road with. It would depend on whether we wanted to keep exploring or not.

      In my younger days, I certainly would have persevered until the end—I wouldn't have been able to process anything going on. I'd have been just like James.

      Digital Trends: He definitely embodies youthful ambition, aiming to break free. In the end, he seems to be dealt a cruel punchline. Do you believe there's any chance for happiness for them on that road?

      Ullom: I’d like to think so. I’ll explore that further when creating the sequel, It Begins, in 15 years or so—it’ll be my Before Sunrise-type story.

      Digital Trends: Overall, how was the production for this film? Was it particularly challenging, or did things go smoothly?

      Ullom: It took six years, and it was quite chaotic. I’d describe it as a messy scrap in the mud. However, the movie’s success is due to the performances and the supportive community around it. The actual production process was a nightmare—we had limited funds, and every step posed a challenge.

      Digital Trends: So, filming spanned six years?

      Ullom: Pre-production took about two and a half years, and then filming lasted roughly three years. We reshot the movie twice.

      Digital Trends: Does that mean there's a lot of footage that didn’t make the final cut?

      Ullom: There used to be an eight-minute sequence where the characters discussed the Russian brick video. There was originally much more hangout content.

      Digital Trends: They really create their own kind of chill atmosphere inside the car—it felt reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, minus the gore.

      Ullom: Exactly. I would have liked to make it bloodier.

      Digital Trends: The opening scene is definitely the bloodiest, with people rushing in—it’s a striking hook for the story.

      Another surprising moment was when it started raining on the road. It wasn’t terrifying but unexpected, especially since it hadn’t rained any other day. What was the significance of that?

      Ullom: I don’t want to reveal too much about how things work, but there’s a layer of immaterialism and subjectivity on the road. Essentially, the road is guiding you toward a place in your emotional processing, which affects the situation.

      Digital Trends: So, why should audiences go see this film? What do you hope they take away from it?

      Ullom