Perhaps the biggest surprise is Reminders of Him, the Colleen Hoover adaptation starring Maika Monroe. It’s on track for about $19 million this weekend, with $20 million a real possibility. That’s a lot more than the last Hoover adaptation, Regretting You, made in its first frame. Hoover’s adaptations have proven to be reliable at the box office, with It Ends with Us, Regretting You, and now Reminders of Him all turning nice profits for their studios.

A24 also has a solid performer in the horror flick Undertone. They acquired this micro-budget horror film at the Fantasia Film Festival, and it’s on track for a strong $10 million weekend, which outperforms many of their more expensive in-house productions like Opus and Death of a Unicorn. However, the C rating isn’t unexpected, with the movie being divisive.

Scream 7, after a huge drop-off last weekend that puts it in the history books (in a bad way), is on track for another hefty fall of about 56%, for a $7.5 million weekend. Still, the $105 million gross is solid, and when all is said and done it will easily be the highest-grossing movie of the franchise.

But what about The Bride? Last week’s disastrous opening for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Bride of Frankenstein reimagining already spelled doom, but it’s fallen a huge 70% as word-of-mouth has torpedoed any prospect of it showing any kind of legs. It will only make about $2 million this weekend and will likely be out of theaters by next weekend and streaming on HBO Max before Easter.

What are you seeing this weekend? Let us know in the comments.

The post Box Office Update: Hoppers shows amazing staying power in the top spot appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: A woman hosting a paranormal podcast receives strange recordings involving a married couple experiencing paranormal noises in their home.

REVIEW: The Canadian-made Undertone was one of the big hits of the Fantasia Film Festival last summer, with it being snapped up for a nationwide release by none other than A24. It’s taking a victory lap here at Sundance, where it played as part of the Midnight section. Sadly, this low-key horror film, with the expectations now attached to it thanks to a major horror label putting it out, didn’t do the movie any favors, with it paling in comparison to other Midnight entries like Leviticus, Saccharine, and even the uneven but imaginative Buddy.

Taking a page from Paranormal Activity, this microbudget horror film takes place in a single location and tries to do for podcasts what that movie did for found footage. It follows Evie (Nina Kiri), a young woman taking care of her terminally ill mother, whose only real refuge is the podcast she hosts with her friend Justin (an unseen Adam DiMarco). Kiri is the only person on screen for the majority of the film, with only her comatose mother (Michèle Duquet) also shown.

The two host a paranormal podcast where they examine viral phenomena, with Evie the skeptic to Justin’s believer. They receive an email containing ten audio recordings featuring a married couple, Mike and Jessa, with the latter talking in her sleep. She seems to be saying things backwards, and as they listen, Evie starts to discover hidden messages related to classic nursery rhymes like “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and “Rock-a-bye Baby,” which reveal a deep mythology involving demonic possession and human sacrifice.

Of course, this being a movie shot for $500k, all of this is left to the imagination, with Evie listening to increasingly disturbing recordings that seem to be evoking a demonic entity. If Evie had ever seen a horror movie, she and Justin would have stopped listening to these messages as soon as weird things started happening—like Evie’s comatose mother somehow leaving religious icons around the home. But then again, we wouldn’t have a movie.

Undertone is a tough one to review, as I didn’t jive with the premise or style at all, but I can also respect that a certain audience may find this really spooky and hip. To me, it played out as eighty minutes of build-up, followed by ten minutes of belated payoff. The sound design is well done, and director Ian Tuason deserves credit for having made a microbudget movie that connected with a lot of people, but it’s nothing you haven’t seen before—just done on a much lower scale.

It doesn’t help that Nina Kiri’s Evie isn’t given much of a personality, with us learning only a scant few things about her. Mostly, she just listens to the weird recordings and doesn’t make much more of an impression than the unseen Justin. Kiri’s performance is fine; she just isn’t given much to work with beyond the podcast gimmick, with the real focus of the movie being the creepy audio design featured on the recordings—which I’ll admit is impressive.

In the end, Undertone may well find an appreciative young audience, but veteran horror fans will likely be like me, left scratching their heads over what exactly A24 saw in it. It’s familiar and often tedious, but respect is due to all involved for the effort. Were it given a more modest build-up, it might have seemed like an interesting experiment, but given how A24 is positioning it, Undertone just feels like a whole lot of hype.

Undertone

BELOW AVERAGE

5

The post Undertone Review: This A24 movie is a lot of build up with very little payoff appeared first on JoBlo.

One of the things I love about horror is how scary a simple concept can be. In The Blair Witch Project, you have amateur filmmakers face the unknown. And then there was the success of the Paranormal Activity franchise that brought the chills of a haunting to a suburban nightmare. Since then, we have seen many a flick with a smaller budget that has captured the attention of horror connoisseurs. The latest thriller to give the audience a chill is the Ian Tuason indie, Undertone.

The story revolves around Evie (Nina Kiri), a host of a popular paranormal podcast. Along with her co-host, Justin (Adam DiMarco), the two find themselves facing very dark and horrific content. After she is sent 10 audio recordings of some very spooky material, things get really spooky for Evy. The film connected with much of what made both Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity work for this viewer. It is a dark and trippy flick that uses audio beautifully to ratchet up the scares.

Last week, I sat down with the writer/director Ian Tuason, along with both Nina Kiri and Adam DiMarco. It was wonderful meeting Mr. DiMarco. He opened up about the success he found at Fantasia, Sundance and how Undertone became an A24 release. As for Ms. Kiri, she opened up about carrying so much of the film, and frankly, it sounds like they had a blast. When it came to Adam DiMarco, he discussed creating an on-screen relationship while maintaining an off-screen one.

It was such a pleasure chatting paranormal with these three. At the end of the discussion, I was curious if they decided to take a chance at a ghost hunt to bring spooky energy to the production.

Are you looking for supernatural frights? You will probably want to check out Undertone with a packed audience ready to get scared. Look for it this weekend at a theatre near you. Check out our review HERE.

The post Interview: Ian Tuason, Nina Kiri, and Adam DiMarco Talk Undertone appeared first on JoBlo.

Nina Kiri played the character Alma on 28 episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale, and now she has the lead role in a horror film called Undertone, which is stirring up a lot of buzz. A24 will be bringing the film to theatres on March 26th, and the hype is building. The first trailer dropped online at 3 a.m. four weeks ago, and now a second trailer has arrived online – also at 3 a.m. You can watch the second trailer in the embed above.

Writer/director Ian Tuason made his feature debut with this project after several years of making short films – and Undertone impressed the folks at Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster so much, Tuason has already been hired to make the next Paranormal Activity movie! On the other hand, JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray was not impressed with the movie when he caught a screening at the Sundance Film Festival. You can read his 5/10 review at THIS LINK.

Synopsis

Coming our way from Slaterverse Pictures, Black Fawn Films, and KINO Studios, The Undertone follows the host of an ‘all-things-creepy’ podcast, who moves into her dying mother’s house to be her primary caregiver. When her podcast is sent 10 audio recordings of a young pregnant couple experiencing paranormal noises, she realizes the woman’s story is a mirror of her own and each new recording scratches at her sanity, drawing her into a fate she cannot escape. 

Kiri’s character Evy is the only on-camera speaking role in the entire film, but Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas, and Jeff Yung are also in the cast.

Here’s the official synopsis: The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way. So much of the film relies on the sound design that Tuason has described it as a “found audio” movie rather than a “found footage” movie.

Statements

Tuason previously provided the following statement: “With Undertone, I’m crafting a horror experience that doesn’t just evoke fear—it engulfs you in it, using immersive sound design to make silence as terrifying as the unknown. Inspired by my own experience as a caregiver, the film explores how the stories we tell ourselves of fear, guilt, and isolation, can become the real horrors that haunt us.“

The film was produced by Dan Slater and Cody Calahan, with Tuason serving as an executive producer alongside Chad Archibald, Daril Fannin, Brit MacRae, Anthony Eu, Douglas Lee, Al Akdari, Charles Bern, Mathew Sterling, and David Sproat.

Calahan said, “We’re always on the lookout for projects that stand out and have a meaningful story to tell. Ian has a truly unique vision, breaking free from tradition to create a horror experience that’s as bold as it is unnerving.” Slater added, “In an oversaturated market, Undertone will punch through the noise with its raw, unfiltered approach to fear, proving that true horror comes from a director willing to open up personally and take full creative control. We’re thrilled to help bring his voice to the screen.“

A press release noted that this production marks the beginning of a multi-film collaboration between KINO Studios and Black Fawn Films, with their plan being to make multiple horror and thriller films together. Daril Fannin, who launched KINO Studios with Brit MacRae and is the company’s CEO, said that Undertone is “an unsettling, deeply psychological horror that lingers long after the credits roll. With Nina Kiri as our lead, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect actor to bring this terrifying tale to life.“

What did you think of the second trailer for Undertone? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Undertone: A24 horror film starring Nina Kiri gets a second trailer appeared first on JoBlo.

DRAEH EB OT STNAW TI

Nina Kiri played the character Alma on 28 episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale, and now she has the lead role in a horror film called Undertone, which is stirring up a lot of buzz. A24 will be bringing the film to theatres on March 26th, and the hype is building, starting with the 3 a.m. unveiling of a trailer, which can now be seen in the embed above. Writer/director Ian Tuason had made his feature debut with this project after several years of making short films – and Undertone impressed the folks at Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster so much, Tuason has already been hired to make the next Paranormal Activity movie!

Synopsis

Coming our way from Slaterverse Pictures, Black Fawn Films, and KINO Studios, The Undertone follows the host of an ‘all-things-creepy’ podcast, who moves into her dying mother’s house to be her primary caregiver. When her podcast is sent 10 audio recordings of a young pregnant couple experiencing paranormal noises, she realizes the woman’s story is a mirror of her own and each new recording scratches at her sanity, drawing her into a fate she cannot escape. Kiri’s character Evy is the only on-camera speaking role in the entire film, but Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas, and Jeff Yung are also in the cast.

Here’s the official synopsis: The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.

So much of the film relies on the sound design that Tuason has described it as a “found audio” movie rather than a “found footage” movie. It will be screening at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival, and JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray will be there to check it out.

Statements

Tuason previously provided the following statement: “With Undertone, I’m crafting a horror experience that doesn’t just evoke fear—it engulfs you in it, using immersive sound design to make silence as terrifying as the unknown. Inspired by my own experience as a caregiver, the film explores how the stories we tell ourselves of fear, guilt, and isolation, can become the real horrors that haunt us.“

The film was produced by Dan Slater and Cody Calahan, with Tuason serving as an executive producer alongside Chad Archibald, Daril Fannin, Brit MacRae, Anthony Eu, Douglas Lee, Al Akdari, Charles Bern, Mathew Sterling, and David Sproat.

Calahan said, “We’re always on the lookout for projects that stand out and have a meaningful story to tell. Ian has a truly unique vision, breaking free from tradition to create a horror experience that’s as bold as it is unnerving.” Slater added, “In an oversaturated market, Undertone will punch through the noise with its raw, unfiltered approach to fear, proving that true horror comes from a director willing to open up personally and take full creative control. We’re thrilled to help bring his voice to the screen.“

A press release noted that this production marks the beginning of a multi-film collaboration between KINO Studios and Black Fawn Films, with their plan being to make multiple horror and thriller films together. Daril Fannin, who launched KINO Studios with Brit MacRae and is the company’s CEO, said that Undertone is “an unsettling, deeply psychological horror that lingers long after the credits roll. With Nina Kiri as our lead, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect actor to bring this terrifying tale to life.“

Undertone does look like it could be quite unsettling. What did you think of the trailer? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Undertone trailer: Nina Kiri of The Handmaid’s Tale stars in unsettling A24 horror film appeared first on JoBlo.

Director

Ian Tuason is said to be in “final negotiations” to take on the directing gig. The filmmaker got his start by making live-action virtual reality horror shorts, which got millions of views on YouTube and a showcase at SXSW. His feature debut, Undertone, premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the audience award and sparked a distribution bidding war. A24 overcame five other bidders to land the distribution rights, making a deal that was said to be in the mid-seven figures.

Undertone follows the host of an ‘all-things-creepy’ podcast, who moves into her dying mother’s house to be her primary caregiver. When her podcast is sent 10 audio recordings of a young pregnant couple experiencing paranormal noises, she realizes the woman’s story is a mirror of her own and each new recording scratches at her sanity, drawing her into a fate she cannot escape. Nina Kiri stars in the film, and her character, Evy, is the only on-camera speaking role in the entire film. So much of the film relies on the sound design that Tuason has described it as a “found audio” movie rather than a “found footage” movie. It will be screening at Sundance next month.

As The Hollywood Reporter notes, Tuason has previously said that the three movies that creep him out the most are The Exorcist, The Blair Witch Project, and the original Paranormal Activity.

Producers

Blum’s Blumhouse Productions recently merged with Wan’s company Atomic Monster, pulling Wan into the Paranormal Activity world. Paramount is co-financing and co-producing the film with Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, while original Paranormal Activity writer/director Oren Peli is also on board to produce through his company Solana Films. This project will get theatrical distribution through Paramount and is said to be a priority for all of the companies involved.

Steven Schneider will executive produce for the film Room 101, Inc., while Michael Clear and Judson Scott do the same for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster. Executive Alayna Glasthal is overseeing the project for the company.

Wan provided the following statement: “I’ve been a huge admirer of Paranormal Activity since the brilliant first movie, with its creeping slow burn and subtle ability to make the unseen terrifying. I’m looking forward to expanding on its legacy and helping shape the next evolution of this scary found-footage franchise.” Blum added, “Diving in with James for this exciting rebirth of the franchise that started it all for Blumhouse is exactly what we dreamed of when we merged with Atomic Monster. I’ll be actively involved with him to introduce this new chapter. Thankfully, we’re able to spend a little more than the $15,000 we had on the first movie, but one thing will remain the same — do not see it alone. We look forward to partnering with Josh Greenstein, Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Jeff Shell and their teams at Paramount as we bring Paranormal Activity back to life.“

Paramount Pictures co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg had this to say about the franchise revival: “We’re thrilled to reignite the iconic Paranormal Activity franchise with two of the horror genre’s most visionary talents, James and Jason. Jason’s role in shaping this franchise into a global cultural touchstone, together with James’ singular taste and track record for innovative storytelling, sets the stage for a thrilling new chapter.“

Released in 2009, the original Paranormal Activity was followed by Paranormal Activity 2 (2010), Paranormal Activity 3 (2011), Paranormal Activity 4 (2012), Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014), Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015), and Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021). In Japan, the unofficial entry Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night was also released in 2010.

Are you glad to hear that there’s a new Paranormal Activity movie coming our way? What do you think of Ian Tuason being chosen as the director? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post The new Paranormal Activity movie gets a director: Ian Tuason appeared first on JoBlo.

Coming our way from Slaterverse Pictures, Black Fawn Films, and KINO Studios, The Undertone follows the host of an ‘all-things-creepy’ podcast, who moves into her dying mother’s house to be her primary caregiver. When her podcast is sent 10 audio recordings of a young pregnant couple experiencing paranormal noises, she realizes the woman’s story is a mirror of her own and each new recording scratches at her sanity, drawing her into a fate she cannot escape. Nina Kiri stars in the film, and her character, Evy, is the only on-camera speaking role in the entire film.

Tuason provided the following statement: “With The Undertone, I’m crafting a horror experience that doesn’t just evoke fear—it engulfs you in it, using immersive sound design to make silence as terrifying as the unknown. Inspired by my own experience as a caregiver, the film explores how the stories we tell ourselves of fear, guilt, and isolation, can become the real horrors that haunt us.“

The film was produced by Dan Slater and Cody Calahan, with Tuason serving as an executive producer alongside Chad Archibald, Daril Fannin, Brit MacRae, Anthony Eu, Douglas Lee, Al Akdari, Charles Bern, Mathew Sterling, and David Sproat.

Calahan said, “We’re always on the lookout for projects that stand out and have a meaningful story to tell. Ian has a truly unique vision, breaking free from tradition to create a horror experience that’s as bold as it is unnerving.” Slater added, “In an oversaturated market, The Undertone will punch through the noise with its raw, unfiltered approach to fear, proving that true horror comes from a director willing to open up personally and take full creative control. We’re thrilled to help bring his voice to the screen.“

A press release notes that this production marks the beginning of a multi-film collaboration between KINO Studios and Black Fawn Films, with their plan being to make multiple horror and thriller films together. Daril Fannin, who launched KINO Studios with Brit MacRae and is the company’s CEO, said that The Undertone is “an unsettling, deeply psychological horror that lingers long after the credits roll. With Nina Kiri as our lead, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect actor to bring this terrifying tale to life.“

The post A24 picks up the upcoming moody horror film The Undertone appeared first on JoBlo.

Nina Kiri has played the character Alma on 27 episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale, and now it has been announced that she has the lead role in a horror film called The Undertone, which just wrapped production. The image above shows Kiri on the set of the film with writer/director Ian Tuason, who is making his feature debut with this project after several years of making short films.

Coming our way from Slaterverse Pictures, Black Fawn Films, and KINO Studios, The Undertone follows the host of an ‘all-things-creepy’ podcast, who moves into her dying mother’s house to be her primary caregiver. When her podcast is sent 10 audio recordings of a young pregnant couple experiencing paranormal noises, she realizes the woman’s story is a mirror of her own and each new recording scratches at her sanity, drawing her into a fate she cannot escape. Kiri’s character Evy is the only on-camera speaking role in the entire film.

Tuason provided the following statement: “With The Undertone, I’m crafting a horror experience that doesn’t just evoke fear—it engulfs you in it, using immersive sound design to make silence as terrifying as the unknown. Inspired by my own experience as a caregiver, the film explores how the stories we tell ourselves of fear, guilt, and isolation, can become the real horrors that haunt us.“

The film was produced by Dan Slater and Cody Calahan, with Tuason serving as an executive producer alongside Chad Archibald, Daril Fannin, Brit MacRae, Anthony Eu, Douglas Lee, Al Akdari, Charles Bern, Mathew Sterling, and David Sproat.

Calahan said, “We’re always on the lookout for projects that stand out and have a meaningful story to tell. Ian has a truly unique vision, breaking free from tradition to create a horror experience that’s as bold as it is unnerving.” Slater added, “In an oversaturated market, The Undertone will punch through the noise with its raw, unfiltered approach to fear, proving that true horror comes from a director willing to open up personally and take full creative control. We’re thrilled to help bring his voice to the screen.“

A press release notes that this production marks the beginning of a multi-film collaboration between KINO Studios and Black Fawn Films, with their plan being to make multiple horror and thriller films together. Daril Fannin, who launched KINO Studios with Brit MacRae and is the company’s CEO, said that The Undertone is “an unsettling, deeply psychological horror that lingers long after the credits roll. With Nina Kiri as our lead, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect actor to bring this terrifying tale to life.“

Does The Undertone sound interesting to you? Share your thoughts on this Nina Kiri horror film by leaving a comment below.

The post The Undertone: Nina Kiri of The Handmaid’s Tale has the only on-camera speaking role in new horror film appeared first on JoBlo.