Danny and the Hippopotamus (2026): Cast, Story and Release

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Danny and the Hippopotamus is a 2026 comedy romance about a confidence-shaken man whose old friend returns to help him recover his nerve and ask out the woman he dreams of dating. Directed and written by Trenton Chappell, the film has a 10-minute runtime.

Danny and the Hippopotamus is a short comedy romance centered on confidence, friendship and the awkwardness of asking someone out. After a disastrous date, Danny finds himself struggling to believe in himself.

An old friend then re-enters his life with a specific mission: help Danny regain his confidence and find the courage to approach the girl of his dreams. The film is written and directed by Trenton Chappell and runs for 10 minutes.

Danny and the Hippopotamus movie details

Story without spoilers

The story follows Danny after a disastrous date leaves his confidence at an all-time low. His situation changes when an old friend unexpectedly returns and sets out to help him rebuild his self-belief. With that support, Danny must try to gather enough courage to ask out the girl he has been dreaming about.

The supplied synopsis establishes a compact romantic-comedy setup built around an emotional setback, an unexpected friendship and the challenge of making a romantic move. Further plot details are not provided.

What to expect

As a 10-minute comedy romance, Danny and the Hippopotamus presents a concise story rather than an extended romantic arc. Its premise points to humor arising from Danny’s difficult dating situation and the effort to restore his confidence, alongside a straightforward romantic goal.

The unusual title also connects the film to a character named Hugh the Hippo, played by Mikel McCarley. Beyond that casting detail, the supplied information does not specify how the character fits into the story.

Cast and creative team

Jesse Parr plays Danny, the film’s central character. Alexis Schrepple portrays Chloe, while Deven Nance plays Katie. Mikel McCarley is credited as Hugh the Hippo.

Trenton Chappell serves as both director and writer, giving the short its creative direction and screenplay. The production company is Chappell Media.

• Jesse Parr as Danny
• Alexis Schrepple as Chloe
• Deven Nance as Katie
• Mikel McCarley as Hugh the Hippo

Release and production context

Danny and the Hippopotamus is listed as a 2026 release, with a release date of September 19, 2026. The film is marked as released and has a runtime of 10 minutes. It was produced in the United States of America and is in English.

The listed production company is Chappell Media. Its genres are comedy and romance.

Production companies: Chappell Media

Reported production figures:
Budget $60

Movies Dock view

With its brief runtime and focused premise, Danny and the Hippopotamus is structured around one clear problem: Danny must recover from a humiliating date and find the confidence to pursue someone he likes. The available information presents it as a compact English-language comedy romance led by Jesse Parr and created by Trenton Chappell.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb