Friends Like Us (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Friends Like Us is an 11-minute Canadian thriller-comedy about two sitcom actors held hostage by a crazed fan and forced to perform a new version of their show’s finale. Written and directed by Ray Savaya, the short stars Nina Kiri, Ryan McDonald and Andrew Bushell.

Friends Like Us turns the familiar world of sitcom endings into the setting for a compact dark comedic thriller. The short follows two actors whose professional past is brought back under disturbing circumstances when a fan takes control of their fate.

Written and directed by Ray Savaya, the 2026 Canadian production has a brief 11-minute runtime. Its premise combines hostage tension with the uneasy absurdity of performing for an audience that has crossed a dangerous line.

Friends Like Us movie details

Story without spoilers

The film centers on two sitcom actors who are held hostage by a crazed fan. To survive the situation, they must reenact a new version of their show’s series finale. The setup places performance, fandom and threat in the same confined scenario without revealing how the ordeal concludes.

The principal characters are Jenna, David and Kristian, played by Nina Kiri, Ryan McDonald and Andrew Bushell, respectively. The story’s short format suggests a focused presentation built around its central hostage premise and the unusual demand made of its performers.

What to expect

As a thriller-comedy, Friends Like Us is positioned between suspense and dark humor rather than as a conventional sitcom continuation. The premise offers an uncomfortable contrast between scripted entertainment and real danger, with the series finale serving as the story’s defining pressure point.

At 11 minutes, the film is designed as a concise short rather than a feature-length narrative. Viewers can expect a contained concept, a small central cast and an English-language Canadian production built around its blend of comic unease and hostage tension.

Cast and creative team

Nina Kiri plays Jenna, Ryan McDonald plays David and Andrew Bushell plays Kristian. Ray Savaya serves as both director and writer, shaping the film’s dark comedic thriller premise. The production comes from Hakari Films Ltd.

• Nina Kiri as Jenna
• Ryan McDonald as David
• Andrew Bushell as Kristian

Release and production context

Friends Like Us is a Canadian short film in English with a listed release date of October 25, 2026. It is classified as a thriller and comedy, has an 11-minute runtime and is produced by Hakari Films Ltd. The supplied keywords also associate the film with Fantasia Festival, sitcoms and short films.

Production companies: Hakari Films Ltd.

Friends Like Us official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

Movies Dock view

With its compact runtime and sharply defined setup, Friends Like Us focuses on the unsettling collision between television nostalgia and obsessive fandom. Its appeal rests in how that premise combines a familiar entertainment format with the immediate stakes of a hostage thriller, while keeping the story brief and concentrated.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb