Inhabitant (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Inhabitant is a four-minute horror short centered on Porter, a recently fired worker who returns to his apartment and discovers that an inhabitant has settled at its threshold. D.S. Burton writes and directs the 2026 film, which stars Emmanuel O. Joseph in the lead role.

Inhabitant is a 2026 horror short with a sharply contained premise. After being fired from another job, Porter returns home only to find an inhabitant settled at the threshold of his apartment.

Written and directed by D.S. Burton, the film has a listed runtime of four minutes. Its compact setup places a familiar homecoming in unsettling territory without revealing more than the supplied synopsis.

Inhabitant movie details

Story without spoilers

The story follows Porter, who has just lost another job. When he gets back to his apartment, he encounters an inhabitant occupying the threshold. The film’s central tension comes from this unexpected presence and the question of what it means for Porter’s homecoming.

The available synopsis keeps the situation deliberately concise, so further plot developments and the nature of the inhabitant are best left undisclosed.

What to expect

As a short horror film lasting four minutes, Inhabitant is built around a focused premise rather than an expansive storyline. Viewers can expect a brief encounter involving a recently unemployed protagonist, an apartment threshold and an unsettling inhabitant.

The limited runtime suggests a tightly contained viewing experience, while the tagline—“When one door opens, another one closes…” —adds a sense of ominous reversal to the film’s central setting.

Cast and creative team

Emmanuel O. Joseph plays Porter, the film’s central character. Dawa Penjor is credited as the Inhabitant, and James Salter provides the voice of Friend. D.S. Burton serves as both writer and director.

• Emmanuel O. Joseph as Porter
• Dawa Penjor as Inhabitant
• James Salter as Friend (voice)

Release and production context

Inhabitant is listed as a 2026 horror film with a runtime of four minutes. Its release date is October 22, 2026. The supplied metadata does not specify a production country, spoken language or production company.

Reported production figures:
Budget $100

Movies Dock view

With its brief runtime and clearly defined horror premise, Inhabitant focuses on a single unsettling moment at the entrance to Porter’s apartment. The available details present it as a compact short whose story is designed to unfold without requiring a large cast or broad setting.

Film data:
TMDB