The Double (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

The Double is a 12-minute animated horror short set on New Year’s Eve. When investigator Oleg examines a case at his own apartment building, he finds that Santa Claus has been searching for him, leading into a strange and unsettling mystery.

The Double is a German animated horror short written by Aljosha Klimov and Misha Shprits. Running for 12 minutes, it follows investigator Oleg as a routine assignment takes an unsettling turn at his own apartment building.

Set on New Year’s Eve and spoken in Russian, the film introduces an unusual mystery involving Santa Claus. Its compact runtime suggests a tightly focused story built around a single strange discovery rather than an extended investigation.

The Double movie details

Story without spoilers

Investigator Oleg is sent to examine a case at his apartment building on New Year’s Eve. The assignment becomes much more personal when he discovers that Santa Claus has been looking for him. From that premise, The Double frames its story as a brief, mind-bending encounter combining investigative elements with animated horror.

What to expect

The Double is presented as a short-form animated horror film with a surreal central premise. Viewers can expect a concise story centered on an investigator, an apartment building and the unexplained appearance of Santa Claus in the case. Its 12-minute runtime keeps the setup focused, while the New Year’s Eve setting adds a seasonal backdrop to the unsettling mystery.

Cast and creative team

The film is written by Aljosha Klimov and Misha Shprits. Its cast includes Alisa Dmitrieva, Yasha Karykhalin, Mitya Kokorin, Alexey Mironov, Misha Shprits and Roman Volobuev. No director is listed in the supplied credits, and character roles are not specified.

• Alisa Dmitrieva
• Yasha Karykhalin
• Mitya Kokorin
• Alexey Mironov
• Misha Shprits
• Roman Volobuev

Release and production context

The Double is a 2026 short film from Germany, with a listed release date of October 9, 2026. It runs for 12 minutes, is produced by Lakeside Animation and is spoken in Russian. The film is classified as Animation and Horror.

Production companies: Lakeside Animation

Movies Dock view

With its brief runtime and unusual premise, The Double is structured as a compact animated horror story rather than a feature-length investigation. The combination of a New Year’s Eve case, a familiar seasonal figure and an unexpected personal connection gives the film a distinctive setup without revealing where the mystery leads.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb