Running on Empty (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Running on Empty is a brief English-language comedy adventure western about a solitary traveler who picks up an unusual hitchhiker while trying to begin again. Directed and written by Kathryn Gross and Baker Hanshaw, the 2026 short film features Mason Hanshaw and Cameron Velthoen in its central roles.

Running on Empty is an 8-minute short film that blends comedy, adventure and western elements. Its premise centers on a lonely road tripper whose attempt to start over changes course after meeting an eccentric hitchhiker.

Directed and written by Kathryn Gross and Baker Hanshaw, the film is listed as a 2026 release and is performed in English. The compact runtime suggests a tightly focused story built around its unusual roadside encounter.

Running on Empty movie details

Story without spoilers

The film follows a solitary road tripper searching for a new beginning. Along the way, the traveler picks up an eccentric hitchhiker, creating the central situation for this short comedy adventure western. The supplied synopsis keeps the broader circumstances and outcome undisclosed, so the film’s story is best approached as a concise meeting between two contrasting figures on the road.

What to expect

Running on Empty combines a road-trip setup with comic and western framing. Viewers can expect a short-form narrative rather than an extended travel story, with the relationship between the road tripper and the hitchhiker providing the main source of interest. The premise also introduces a question about whether moving forward requires surrendering control, reflected in the film’s tagline.

Cast and creative team

Mason Hanshaw plays Jason Banshaw, while Cameron Velthoen portrays Neil Candide. Stephanie Hanshaw provides the voice of Jason’s Mom, and Stephanie Gross appears as the Black Car Driver. Kathryn Gross and Baker Hanshaw share directing and writing credits, with Baker Hanshaw also appearing in the cast as a credited creative force behind the film.

• Mason Hanshaw as Jason Banshaw
• Cameron Velthoen as Neil Candide
• Stephanie Hanshaw as Jason's Mom (Voice)
• Stephanie Gross as Black Car Driver

Release and production context

Running on Empty is listed as a 2026 film with a release date of September 26, 2026. It has a runtime of 8 minutes and is in English. The production companies are Nightjar Media [us], Dozen Dozen Films [us] and Club 83. No country designation is supplied in the available film details.

Production companies: Nightjar Media [us], Dozen Dozen Films [us], Club 83

Reported production figures:
Budget $100

Movies Dock view

With its brief runtime and road-based premise, Running on Empty presents a compact story about an attempted fresh start interrupted—or perhaps redirected—by an unexpected passenger. Its comedy, adventure and western classification gives the film a distinctive framework without revealing more than the setup.

Film data:
TMDB