Dropshock Pictures, in association with Moon7 Films, is pleased to announce that the independent debut feature Hunting Matthew Nichols, from director Markian Tarasiuk, will receive a wide theatrical release in the US and at home in Canada on more than 1000 screens.
Critics and audiences have praised the film for its seamless blend of true crime documentary-style filmmaking and cinematic craftsmanship. With an atmospheric original score, the genre film delivers a nerve-shredding finale that rattled audiences at festivals and this week, when it debuted on 1400 screens as the “Monday Mystery Movie” (or “Scream Unseen”) at major theatre chains including Landmark, Regal and AMC theatres across North America. The film will have a special event screening at The Park in Vancouver on April 2, 2026, a Film Independent screening on April 6, 2026, at the Landmark Sunset in LA, and is set for a wide theatrical release on April 10, 2026.
Two decades after her brother’s mysterious disappearance on Vancouver Island, aspiring documentary filmmaker Tara Nichols sets out to solve his missing person’s case. When an unsettling piece of evidence is revealed, Tara and her film crew investigate the disturbing circumstances surrounding the case to discover the truth about what happened to her brother.
“Hunting Matthew Nichols” is a film shot on Vancouver Island by a British Columbia-based creative team. It features a cast that includes Miranda MacDougall, Markian Tarasiuk, Ryan Alexander McDonald, and Christine Willes. The film is directed by Markian Tarasiuk and written by Sean Harris Oliver. The producing team consists of Sean Harris Oliver, Markian Tarasiuk, Lucy McNulty, Matt Villeneuve, and Amy Laurel Barager.
The executive producers are Anthony Buckner, Matt Drake, Alejandro Colmenero, Jacob Crawford, Mack Gordon, Miranda MacDougall, Doug Teather, Cameron Oliver, William Oliver, Craig Oliver, Monica Oliver, and Bob Portal. The cinematography for “Hunting Matthew Nichols” is done by Justin Sebastian, and the film is edited by Jonathan Mathew.
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The film is being self-distributed by Dropshock Pictures and Moon7 Films with theatrical consulting from former National Association of Theater Owners President John Fithian, his company The Fithian Group. In 2025, the filmmakers embarked on a cross-country tour, meeting with the top executives at major theatre chains to screen the film and outline their marketing and distribution strategy.
Hunting Matthew Nichols world premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival, played at Blood in the Snow Festival, and was nominated for the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the Whistler Film Festival. On the festival circuit, the film garnered rave reviews and won numerous awards internationally.
The release for Hunting Matthew Nichols is powered by partnerships with leading US chains, including AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas, Cinemark, Marcus Theatres, B&B Theatres, Cineplex, and Landmark Cinemas (in Canada), alongside a network of independent theatre venues.
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