MORELIFE (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

MORELIFE is a drama about two strangers who meet under bleak circumstances and form an unlikely pact. Together, they search for a rare morel mushroom, hoping the hunt might reveal a reason to keep going. C.J. Renner writes and directs this 2026 film.

MORELIFE centers on an unusual meeting between two people at a personal breaking point. When a young man goes to an icy river at night intending to jump, he encounters a half-man, half-fish figure who appears to have come for the same reason.

Rather than ending there, their encounter leads to a pact: they will search for a rare morel mushroom in the hope that finding it might offer something worth living for. Written and directed by C.J. Renner, the film is listed as a 2026 drama with a 92-minute runtime.

MORELIFE movie details

Story without spoilers

The story begins when Shawn’s plan to jump into an icy river is interrupted by Kermit, a half-man, half-fish figure facing a similar crisis. The two strangers agree to hunt together for a rare morel mushroom, attaching their last-ditch search to the possibility of finding renewed purpose.

The premise combines a coming-of-age element with a stark, fantastical setup. The mushroom hunt provides the central objective, while the relationship between the two strangers forms the emotional foundation of the story. No further plot details are supplied, so the film’s later developments are best approached without assumptions.

What to expect

MORELIFE is identified as a drama and carries the keyword “coming of age.” Its premise suggests a character-focused story built around despair, an improbable alliance and a search that may give its protagonists a reason to continue. The half-man, half-fish figure adds a fantastical element to an otherwise grounded emotional crisis.

The film’s 1-hour, 32-minute runtime points to a relatively focused narrative. The supplied information emphasizes the pact and the rare mushroom hunt rather than a larger ensemble or extensive world-building, so the central relationship and unusual quest appear to be the main points of interest.

Cast and creative team

Jackson Whitman plays Shawn, the young man at the center of the opening situation, while Clayne Crawford plays Kermit, the half-man, half-fish figure he encounters. Bella Maldonado, Kerry Nash, Kari Layland, Andrew Stecker and Micah Chartrand are also part of the cast, with no character names supplied for their roles.

C.J. Renner is credited as both director and writer, giving the film a single creative lead across its screenplay and direction.

• Jackson Whitman as Shawn
• Clayne Crawford as Kermit
• Bella Maldonado
• Kerry Nash
• Kari Layland
• Andrew Stecker
• Micah Chartrand

Release and production context

MORELIFE is listed as a 2026 film with a release date of October 17, 2026. Its status is recorded as Released, and its runtime is 1 hour and 32 minutes. The film is categorized as Drama. No country, spoken language or production company is listed in the supplied information.

MORELIFE official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

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With its stark opening premise and unusual supernatural figure, MORELIFE sets up a compact drama about two strangers searching for meaning in an unlikely place. The supplied details leave the film’s later turns open, while establishing the mushroom hunt and the bond between Shawn and Kermit as its defining elements.

Film data:
TMDB