‘Undertone’ Brings Audio Horror to UK Cinemas

Vertigo Releasing has released the official UK trailer for Undertone, the psychological horror debut from writer and director Ian Tuason, ahead of the film’s theatrical release in the UK and Ireland next month.

The Canadian production, which has already drawn attention on the international festival circuit, will open in cinemas across the region on 10 April 2026. Vertigo acquired the UK and Irish distribution rights from A24, which is handling international sales for the film.

Starring Nina Kiri, known for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale, alongside Adam DiMarco of The White Lotus and Michèle Duquet of The Virgin Suicides, Undertone centres on a paranormal podcast host who becomes drawn into a disturbing mystery after receiving a set of unsettling audio recordings.

Kiri plays Evy, a woman who co-hosts a popular podcast dedicated to investigating supernatural claims. While her colleague Justin, voiced by DiMarco, approaches the subject with belief, Evy remains sceptical about the cases they cover. The dynamic between the two shifts when Evy returns to her childhood home to care for her ailing mother.

During this time, the pair receive a series of recordings sent by a married couple experiencing unexplained sounds in their home. As the podcast investigates the material, Evy becomes increasingly unsettled by what she hears, leading her down a path of growing paranoia and fear.

The film stands out for its distinctive storytelling approach. Evy and her mother are the only characters shown on screen, while other figures in the story appear only through audio recordings or phone calls. This technique places the emphasis on sound design to deliver the film’s tension and unsettling atmosphere.

Tuason developed the concept from an earlier idea for a radio play before expanding it into a feature screenplay. Production took place in February 2025 in Toronto’s Rexdale neighbourhood, with scenes filmed inside Tuason’s own childhood home.

Undertone first premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in July 2025, where it received the Gold Audience Award for Canadian films. The film later screened in the Midnight section of the Sundance Film Festival.

Its theatrical release in North America on 13 March 2026 marked a strong debut for the low-budget production. Made for approximately $500,000, the film earned an estimated $9.3 million during its opening weekend at the box office.

The early success has already placed Tuason on the radar of major studios. The filmmaker is currently attached to direct the next instalment in the Paranormal Activity franchise.

With its UK trailer now unveiled, Undertone will arrive in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 10 April 2026.

Undertone trailer