A24 has secured worldwide rights to The Undertone, the debut horror feature from genre writer-director Ian Tuason, following its July 27, 2025, world premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival.
The acquisition came after a competitive bidding war involving six potential buyers, with the deal reportedly closing in the mid-seven-figure range — a remarkable achievement for Tuason’s first feature film.
The Undertone stars Nina Kiri (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Evy, a paranormal podcast host who returns to her hometown to care for her terminally ill mother. Soon after, she begins receiving disturbing audio recordings from a married couple experiencing mysterious noises in their home. The unsettling events pull her into a chilling spiral of paranoia and dread.
Fantasia Fest programming director Carolyn Mauricette described the film as “a slow-burn nightmare” reminiscent of SKINAMARINK and I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House.
Produced by Dan Slater of Slaterverse Pictures and Cody Calahan of Black Fawn Films, the film’s executive producers include Steven Schneider and Roy Lee of Spooky Pictures, Chad Archibald of Black Fawn Films, and Brit MacRae and Daril Fannin of Kino Studios.
Toronto-based Tuason is known for his award-winning work in the genre space, including live-action virtual reality horror shorts that have amassed over 14 million views online and screened at SXSW, Fantasia, and Cannes.
The distribution deal was negotiated by Stuart Manashil of Novo, Black Fawn Distro, and 3 Arts Entertainment.
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