By admin 
Alexander Ullom is, by his own admission, “dog-tired.” The 28-year-old filmmaker’s current state of exhaustion is a testament to a whirlwind recent period: he has just wrapped principal photography on his highly anticipated sophomore feature, “4 x 4: The Event,” a project he describes with visceral intensity as “balls-to-the-wall gore and violence.” Immediately after concluding the grueling shoot, Ullom jetted to Los Angeles to dive headfirst into a demanding press day for his debut feature, “It Ends.” And what a stunning, and remarkably hard-won, debut it is.
“It Ends,” slated for theatrical release on August 21st, presents a chilling narrative that resonates with contemporary anxieties. The film centers on three recent college graduates – James (Phinehas Yoon), Day (Akira Jackson), and Fisher (Noah Toth) – who reunite with their friend Tyler (Mitchell Cole), a military man. Their late-night excursion in Tyler’s Jeep, ostensibly a quest for food, takes a nightmarish turn when an inexplicable blockage of trees halts their progress. Believing they’ve taken a wrong turn, Tyler ventures out to investigate, inadvertently drawing the attention of a frenzied mob. The ensuing attack on their vehicle is brutal, leaving Fisher with a mangled arm. The quartet narrowly escapes, only to find themselves adrift on a seemingly endless road, prompting existential questions reminiscent of Talking Heads’ iconic exploration of existential dread: have they stumbled into another dimension, or are they trapped in a cruel form of purgatory? Ullom, demonstrating a directorial maturity that belies his years, masterfully crafts an experience that keeps audiences riveted, their hearts pounding with every mile the desperate young travelers cover.
Ullom’s own journey to bring “It Ends” to the silver screen was as convoluted and fraught with peril as the narrative within the film. After receiving effusive critical praise following its premiere at SXSW in March 2025, the film struggled to find a distributor, languishing in what Ullom candidly describes as “dead in the water.” The filmmaker was on the verge of uploading it to YouTube, a last resort for a project he feared would never reach a wider audience. However, a serendipitous encounter with fellow filmmaker and influential movie personality Nicolas Curcio proved to be a turning point. Ullom discussed his film online, a conversation that was noticed by the CEO of Letterboxd. This led to an opportunity for “It Ends” to be showcased as one of the inaugural releases on Letterboxd’s Video Store, a platform designed to champion undistributed films. This crucial exposure, in turn, caught the attention of the acclaimed distribution company Neon. Impressed not only by Ullom’s directorial vision but also by the low-budget genesis of his debut – shot for a mere $80,000 – Neon not only acquired distribution rights for “It Ends” but also committed to distributing his next project, “4 x 4: The Event.” This upcoming film is already generating significant buzz, being pitched as a potent cocktail of “Battle Royale” meets “Saw” meets “Climax.”
To further amplify the reach and impact of “It Ends,” Neon has orchestrated an innovative promotional campaign dubbed the “Endless Screening” challenge. This unique event invites four-person teams to endure a grueling 36-hour marathon screening of the film at New York City’s Metro Private Cinema. This translates to approximately 25 consecutive showings of the movie, all in pursuit of being crowned the “Last Person Standing.” The challenge offers a compelling incentive structure: each participant will receive 25 cents for every minute they remain in the competition, with the potential to earn up to $540 per person. Furthermore, if an entire group successfully navigates the entire 36-hour ordeal, each member will receive an additional $500 bonus. Participants are also provided with a $250 theater credit for concessions during the marathon (alcohol excluded) and are afforded designated break periods, a small comfort in the face of such an extreme endurance test.
In a candid conversation with Variety, Ullom delved into the promising debut of “It Ends,” his burgeoning place within a new wave of young horror filmmakers, and the unpredictable trajectory of his career. He also shared insights into his creative process and future ambitions.
When asked about his current well-being, Ullom responded with a wry smile, “First press day, so, you know, I’m getting used to it! I’m drinking water.” This humble admission belies the intensity of the journey he has undertaken.
Regarding the inspiration behind “It Ends,” Ullom explained that the film emerged from two distinct, yet intertwined, sources. He began writing the script in late 2019, at the age of 21, initially articulating anxieties from a deeply physiological and personal perspective. He was grappling with his own challenging transition into adulthood and the attendant mental health struggles, pondering, “Is this the rest of adulthood?” As he matured, however, the thematic scope of the film broadened to encompass the more profound and dislocating effects of structural societal shifts. He recognized the erosion of traditional markers of adult stability – the aspirational goals of homeownership, the conventional nuclear family, and established religious frameworks – which had historically served as signposts for young people navigating their futures. This sense of aimlessness and existential disorientation led him to question if this feeling of being lost was the permanent state of adult life, a notion he thankfully has since disproven. Simultaneously, Ullom found himself immersed in the nascent “Backrooms” online communities, a cultural phenomenon that explores liminal spaces and unsettling, self-referential horror. While he humorously admits to lacking a more “pretentious” reason for the film’s central motif of an endless road and a car, the imagery and its thematic resonance with his personal journey simply “popped in” his head one day, solidifying the film’s core message.
The striking visual of the car being bombarded by people from all directions in “It Ends” understandably evoked comparisons to the iconic scene in Alfonso Cuarón’s "Children of Men." Ullom, a clear admirer of the film, acknowledged the subconscious influence, stating, "Subconsciously like I didn’t fully rip it off? I love that scene and love that movie!"
While critics have frequently pointed to Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist play "No Exit" as a potential thematic touchstone for "It Ends," Ullom confessed to being unfamiliar with the work at the time of writing. He expressed gratitude for such comparisons, stating, "Which is totally fine! I didn’t even know what that was at the time, but I’m more than grateful that anyone is comparing it to anything." His prior intention, as mentioned, was to upload the film to YouTube, underscoring the film’s near-miss with obscurity.
This near-miss occurred after the film’s SXSW premiere. Ullom elaborated on the challenging post-festival landscape, explaining, "We were fully dead in the water and this whole generational-shift thing that’s happening right now was not happening yet. We were still in the early days in this weird transitional period where nothing was selling out of festivals. We had no famous people and a tone shift – the ‘Linklater made a horror movie’ that I’ve always pitched it as." He recounted a particularly disheartening meeting on the Universal lot where executives politely but firmly rejected his film, remarking, "Nice movie but we’re obviously not fuckin’ buying it." Ironically, on his way out, he witnessed a press event for "Jurassic World Rebirth," with a throng of influencers just beyond a fence. This ignited a bold, almost desperate, plan: "If I could just get them the movie!" He contacted his manager, who, with a resigned tone, simply advised, "Whatever the fuck you’re about to do just don’t tell me.” Ullom then proceeded to scale the fence. Security swiftly apprehended him, but his claim of being an influencer led to his escort into the party. There, amidst free "Jurassic" merchandise, he managed to connect with Nick Curcio, expressing his gratitude for Curcio’s advocacy for cinema and introducing his own project. Curcio, intrigued by the positive SXSW reviews and Ullom’s assertion of having "nothing," posted about the film. This sparked an overwhelming wave of support from the online horror community, which, in turn, led to the Letterboxd CEO offering the film a coveted spot on their Video Store.
“It Ends” now holds the distinction of being one of the pioneering films released on the Letterboxd Video Store. Ullom wryly added, “And maybe one of the first films to go to streaming, get pirated first and then go to theaters? We’ll see how that affects things!”
Reflecting on the arduous journey of getting "It Ends" into theaters, a path that mirrored the film’s own narrative, Ullom mused, "The road has still not ended because here I am talking about it! It was awesome when they came on. Letterboxd lined up perfectly with it making sense in Neon’s slate, so I’m very grateful to anyone watching this movie at all because it makes no sense to me."
The distribution deal with Neon extends beyond "It Ends," as they are also distributing his upcoming film, "4 x 4: The Event." Ullom clarified that it wasn’t a formal multi-picture deal but rather a testament to Neon’s faith in his talent. "No, they took a shot on ‘It Ends’ and that meant a lot to me. I had a bunch of crazy contractual stuff where I wanted Mitchell Cole, who plays Tyler in ‘It Ends,’ to be in it and I wanted to edit it, so it kind of just happened."
Addressing the representation within his film, Ullom, who identifies as part-Asian, expressed his satisfaction with the narrative choices. He highlighted the absence of the stereotypical trope of the Asian character being quickly eliminated, a common occurrence in the genre. He drew a parallel to Alex Garland’s “Civil War,” where two Asian characters are unceremoniously killed shortly after appearing. "Oh, let’s go! I didn’t want to ask," Ullom exclaimed. "I wasn’t doing it for any sort of agenda or anything, but I wanted to have an Asian kid. He’s me. He’s the more attractive version of me and my self-insert, and it’s nice that he’s not having to talk about his diaspora or anything and it’s just him being in the movie. And he fuckin’ lasts, and maybe that’s more of a model-minority thing but he was definitely built for capitalism. He was locked in to begin with."
Principal photography for “It Ends” spanned 28 days, though Ullom revealed that significant portions of the film underwent reshoots twice. Much of the filming took place in Florida, where Ullom grew up. He noted that some of the parks used for shooting have requested that he refrain from referencing them in press due to instances of young people recreating the film’s "endless road" by drag racing. "Which is cool, but yeah, in Florida, basically," he commented, with a cautionary undertone for his young fans.
Regarding the film’s budget, Ullom clarified the initial reports. "I don’t know if I’m allowed to talk about it or not – maybe I should ask Neon… Here’s what I’ll say: Our full production budget was $80,000 after all three rounds of filming, and that’s before post-production. It was originally $30,000, and then we re-shot and it was $50,000 and then more." This demonstrates a resourceful and iterative approach to filmmaking, a necessity for independent productions.
The performance of the four young actors in “It Ends” has been widely praised, and Ullom attributes the film’s success in large part to their talent. "The only reason that this movie works is because of the cast. Every single one of them is so specifically talented it’s incredible." He revealed his unconventional casting method: an open call posted on Instagram. Noah Toth had previously auditioned for one of his student films, while Mitchell Cole was, remarkably, an HVAC repairman in the Florida panhandle. Ullom highlighted their collaborative spirit, stating, "they all punched up my dialogue, made it way better than what was written and I got very lucky to find all four of them."
The iconic Jeep featured prominently in the film was not the only one used. "We had one Jeep for production and then one shell of a Jeep that we cut in half to film on a stage. And that one Jeep got fuckin’ gnarly. Props to the actors for sitting in that thing for so long! Florida summertime shooting is crazy. That’s when the equipment was available, but dude… it was hot."
Currently based in Los Angeles, Ullom expressed contentment with his new living situation: "I’m in LA and in my own place, which is awesome." He clarified that this improved living situation wasn’t a direct result of the "It Ends" deal with Neon, but rather from the subsequent project. For the preceding two and a half years, he endured a period of significant financial struggle, living in cramped conditions with fellow crew and cast members, sharing a "walk-in closet – a one-bedroom apartment in LA – with two crew members and one cast member. We were all struggling while we were making this thing."
Ullom shared his thoughts on Neon’s ambitious 36-hour marathon screening challenge for "It Ends" in New York. "It was a Neon idea. I think that I would hate any fuckin’ movie that I would watch 25 times. I think the prize money probably could have been higher for that level of psychological torment, but studios love doing that. ‘The Long Walk’ had a [treadmill] screening. I hope there’s a bathroom in there that people can go to. Are they allowed to sleep? I would just sleep. Look, whatever’s going to get people in the theaters, I will advocate for. It’s still absurd to me that this is playing in a theater!"
When pressed about the ultimate fate of the characters in "It Ends," Ullom playfully deflected, "Come on, man! I can’t tell you that. But I know exactly how it is and how it works."
Confirming his age, Ullom stated, "I am actually old. I’m 28 now. Isn’t that crazy?" He then playfully acknowledged the generational gap with younger filmmakers like Kane Parsons, saying, "Kane’s a good friend of mine and every time I speak to him, I’m like, ‘Holy fuck, I’m old!’”
Ullom’s filmmaking journey began in childhood, with an early passion for creating with his action figures. His appreciation for the craft solidified in high school when he produced “obnoxious morning-show videos” featuring sketches. He described this period as an "Ender’s Game version of film school," where the screenings were met with either "love and admiration" or "relentlessly bullied for the rest of the day," forcing him to "lock in" and refine his skills.
His confidence in tackling his first feature stemmed from a youthful audacity. "I think I was just a delusional kid that never thought he couldn’t do that because he saw ‘Slacker’ and said, ‘Well, I just need four faces.’ That’s probably why I had to reshoot it two times because I probably should have been a little less confident!"
The announcement of his next film, "4 x 4: The Event," has generated significant excitement, with its description as "Battle Royale” meets “Saw” meets “Climax.” The logline provided by Neon, "follows eight contestants as they enter an illegal sensory-assault livestream where they must kill or be killed using only what they can order online," hints at a hyper-kinetic and brutal experience. Ullom elaborated on the thematic contrast with his debut: "If ‘It Ends’ is dealing with minimalism and ennui then this film is the complete opposite where it’s balls-to-the-wall gore and violence and a visual stimuli overload to the point where there might need to be a disclaimer in the theater for the level of visual intensity I want to go for. I want to emulate what internet psychosis feels like, so it’s very different." He emphasized that he is applying all the filmmaking lessons learned from "It Ends" to this new project. The reason for his current exhaustion is directly tied to wrapping production two days prior and his immediate immersion in the editing process. "I’ll now be in a black box editing it for the next three months, but I love the editing process." He also noted that production on "4 x 4" was a more manageable experience, allowing him to focus more on the creative aspects and "go crazy with the camera."
Looking beyond "4 x 4," Ullom harbors ambitions for larger-scale studio productions, firmly believing in the enduring power of the theatrical experience. "I have studio ambitions and I believe the theatrical experience is the last religious experience of my generation and I love theaters and will always make movies for that." However, he also expressed a desire to return to smaller, more experimental projects. "But right now I want to get a DV cam and two actors and do some shit on the street or something small. Larger-scale production is more about prepping and execution, and I would like one where there isn’t a time limit. Maybe YouTube is the place for that. But I have massive films that I want to make as well."
When pressed for specifics about his grander cinematic visions, Ullom shared a tantalizing concept: "What’s something that I’d like to actually do… I would love to do a ‘Deer Hunter’ in space with a certain specific franchise – not ‘Star Wars.’ Essentially, Space Vietnam. I have very specific things that I want to speak to my generation about and the thing I really love watching is young people talking onscreen."
The emergence of a new generation of horror filmmakers, including Ullom, Curry Barker, and Kane Parsons, signifies a vibrant and evolving landscape in the genre. Ullom noted a distinction in their creative origins: "It’s weird because ‘It Ends’ wasn’t made for a marketplace whereas with ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms,’ Curry and Kane honed their craft for years on YouTube." He drew a parallel between Curry Barker’s early work and his own creative process for "It Ends," stating, "Curry’s first movie, ‘Milk & Serial,’ is more comparable to what ‘It Ends’ is for me in that it’s something I scrapped along with for six years." Ullom expressed optimism for a renewed "New Hollywood movement," recognizing that traditional industry models are no longer sufficient. He believes that fostering a new generation of talent requires allowing young filmmakers the space and freedom to experiment. "The model that has worked for a long time doesn’t work anymore and there are certain sensibilities and cultural tastes that you can’t manufacture without letting the kids play. It would be really fucking awesome if this trend continues."
