Award-Winning Supernatural Thriller 'HUNTING MATTHEW NICHOLS' Sets Wide North American Theatrical Release!
- Movie Scene Canada
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
Vancouver, BC (April 1, 2026) — 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 was shot on Vancouver Island, by a BC-based creative team and stars Miranda MacDougall, Markian Tarasiuk, Ryan Alexander McDonald and Christine Willes. The film is directed by Markian Tarasiuk, written by Sean Harris Oliver and producers are Sean Harris Oliver, Markian Tarasiuk, Lucy McNulty, Matt Villeneuve and Amy Laurel Barager. 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. Hunting Matthew Nichols‘ cinematographer is Justin Sebastian and the film is edited by Jonathan Mathew.
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.
ABOUT DROPSHOCK PICTURES
Dropshock Pictures is a Vancouver-based film company dedicated to telling elevated genre stories and collaborating with creative partners both domestically and internationally. Since its founding in 2023 by director Markian Tarasiuk, writer Sean Harris Oliver, and producers Lucy McNulty and Matt Villeneuve, the company has focused on developing and producing independent films designed to entertain and engage audiences worldwide.
ABOUT MOON7 FILMS
Moon7 is an international film production company founded by Jacob Crawford, Matt Drake, and Alejandro Colmenero. This team strategically brings together Crawford’s eye for cinematic & marketable filmmaking, Drake’s vast industry experience in film & TV, and Colmenero’s extensive business background in the Latin American market. Together, they aim to create a transformative impact in the film industry, positioning Moon7 as a destination for compelling, human-centric storytelling. With headquarters in Vancouver and Los Angeles, Moon7 is poised to be a significant presence across the continent, continuing its growth in the international landscape, solidifying itself as a global production company.
ABOUT
Markian Tarasiuk is a Ukrainian Canadian actor, director, and producer. He has appeared in over 50 film and television projects; most notably There’s Someone Inside Your House (Netflix), Surface (Apple TV), Virgin River (Netflix), Why Can’t My Life Be a Rom-Com (E!), and True Justice: Family Ties (Hallmark). For his work on screen, he has been nominated for Canadian Screen and UBCP/ACTRA Awards. He is repped by Play Management and Stagecoach Entertainment.
ABOUT SEAN HARRIS OLIVER, PRODUCER/WRITER
Sean Harris Oliver is an award-winning screenwriter and producer based in Los Angeles and Vancouver. He most recently produced the acclaimed feature film Hunting Matthew Nichols, which premiered in 2025 and was celebrated on the international festival circuit, garnering awards for Best Found Footage Film and Best Director (FilmQuest, Blood in the Snow), and Best Actor (Nightmares Film Festival and On Vous Ment!). His dramatic work is informed by over a decade of writing and producing across theatre, television, and independent film. His plays The Fighting Season and Redpatch have been published and produced across Canada, with The Fighting Season being shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for Drama in 2019.
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(Poster/Photo/Video credit: Dropshock Pictures / Moon 7 Films)
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