Hunting Matthew Nichols is a Canadian horror film coming to theatres on April 10th, 2026, that is written, directed, and starring Markian Tarasiuk in his directorial debut. It has elements of a "found footage" documentary in which filmmakers explore a decades-long, unsolved disappearance.
Twenty-three years after her brother mysteriously disappeared, a documentary filmmaker sets out to solve his missing case.
Tarasiuk was inspired by true crime documentaries on Netflix "as a satire to some degree" and myths around the world involving "forest creatures." The film was inspired by The Blair Witch Project and The Ring.
The film was made over several weeks in December on Vancouver Island to capture a gray, rainy, dark tone and sense of dread.
The film premiered at the 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival, and also screened in the Borsos Competition at the 2024 Whistler Film Festival, as well as Nightmares Film Fest, FilmQuest and Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival. UK sales outfit Amp International acquired worldwide sales rights in October 2024. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 10, 2026.
The marketing includes "THE HUNT," a website with âÂÂcase-file evidenceâ and other extras adding to the central story.