The Old Gods (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

The Old Gods is a three-minute English-language horror short from Canada. Written and directed by Noah Van Buhren, it follows the threat of a monster emerging from the ocean with the apparent goal of reclaiming the earth.

The Old Gods is a 2026 horror short film written and directed by Noah Van Buhren. With a runtime of just three minutes, the Canadian production centers on an imposing creature rising from the ocean and threatening the world above.

The film features a cast of survivors alongside Evan Hall as The Writer. Its compact format suggests a tightly focused piece built around a single supernatural premise rather than an extended narrative.

The Old Gods movie details

Story without spoilers

The story begins deep beneath the ocean, where a monster emerges with an ominous purpose: to reclaim the earth. The available synopsis keeps the details deliberately spare, so the film’s human perspective is represented by a group of survivors and a character identified as The Writer.

At three minutes, The Old Gods is structured as a brief horror encounter. The central tension comes from the contrast between the vast, unfamiliar threat beneath the sea and the people facing its arrival.

What to expect

Viewers can expect a concise horror film centered on an ocean-born monster and a group of survivors. The short runtime leaves limited space for a broad mythology or extended character development, keeping the focus on the core threat and its immediate implications.

The cast list also identifies Nightgaunt motion-capture roles for Jocelyn Collin and Noah Van Buhren, indicating that creature performance is part of the production. Beyond that, the supplied information does not specify the film’s visual approach, tone, ending or effects.

Cast and creative team

Noah Van Buhren writes and directs The Old Gods and also appears as a Survivor, sharing Nightgaunt motion-capture duties with Jocelyn Collin. Evan Hall plays The Writer. Eduardo Alonso, Angela Chen, Rene Rebora, Thad Walker, Jane Le, Jonathan Collin and Herong Niu are credited as Survivors.

The production’s cast combines an identified central role with an ensemble of survivor characters, while the motion-capture credits connect Van Buhren and Collin to the film’s creature element.

• Evan Hall as The Writer
• Eduardo Alonso as Survivor
• Angela Chen as Survivor
• Jocelyn Collin as Survivor/Nightgaunt Motion Capture
• Rene Rebora as Survivor
• Thad Walker as Survivor
• Noah Van Buhren as Survivor/Nightgaunt Motion Capture
• Jane Le as Survivor
• Jonathan Collin as Survivor
• Herong Niu as Survivor

Release and production context

The Old Gods is listed as a 2026 release from Canada, with a release date of October 14, 2026. It is an English-language production with a runtime of three minutes. The film is associated with Obsidian Studios and Kickstarter, and is categorized as Horror with the keyword “short film.”

Production companies: Obsidian Studios, Kickstarter

Reported production figures:
Budget $7,000

Movies Dock view

The Old Gods presents a clear, compact horror premise: something monstrous rises from the ocean to take back the earth. Its brief runtime and focused cast make it a small-scale production built around a direct supernatural threat, with Noah Van Buhren handling both the writing and direction.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb