A24's New R-Rated Paranormal Horror Has Critics & Audience Very Divided On Rotten Tomatoes

A24’s new horror movie, Undertone, is not exactly pleasing everyone’s ears.

After the new supernatural film premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival eight months ago, it was finally released in theaters for moviegoers to see. Before that, reviews churned in for Undertone, where the majority of the critics were engaged by the paranormal mystery in the movie. This ultimately led to a solid 76% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Now, audiences have the chance to test out the mystery sound in Undertone, but the reception is very discordant. While critics found the A24 movie to be an immersive and creepy experience in theaters, moviegoers were less impressed by the overall product, with some criticizing that the film is pointless and boring when it is already clocking in at less than 90 minutes. As a result, Undertone currently has an audience score of just 52%.

Nina Kiri's Evy looking worried while holding the headphones on her head in Undertone — Nina Kiri’s Evy looking worried while holding the headphones on her head in Undertone

Undertone follows a podcaster named Evy (Nina Kiri), who plays recordings of a married couple listening to unusual sounds. However, the experience ultimately sparks fear and paranoia in the protagonist, who is typically a skeptic to the paranormal. A month after its premiere at the film festival, A24 won a seven-figure deal for the movie’s worldwide distribution, which ultimately landed a March 2026 release.

Although Undertone has ignited more questions about the ending, there is no denying that the new supernatural horror is already turning into an A24 success. Considering the film’s budget was just $500,000, it has already collected over $4.3 million domestically.

This easily makes it one of the most profitable A24 movies, given the huge turnout for a small-budgeted feature. Undertone would also be the company’s second box office success in 2026, after Pillion, starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård, also performed well.

The box office success also bodes well for the movie’s future. While speaking with ScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns, director Ian Tuason revealed that he had a “trilogy in mind” for Undertone and that he and A24 are “working on” the potential developments.

Considering that the movie is already a hit, the chances look bright for the filmmaker’s hopes to come true. This could mean resolving some of the mysteries that many audiences are still wondering about, as that could have played a part in the polarizing reactions.

Undertone marked the directorial debut for Tuason, who also wrote the script, while Dan Slater and Cody Calahan were producers. Alongside Kiri, the remaining cast includes Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas, Jeff Yung, Sarah Beaudin, and Brian Quintero.

Undertone is now playing in theaters.