Artificial (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Artificial is a five-minute British science-fiction drama about an undercover police officer assigned to monitor a humanoid robot. When their contact develops through art, the assignment takes an unexpected direction, culminating in a final request to create a painting.

Artificial is a short science-fiction drama built around an unusual assignment: an undercover cop must monitor a humanoid robot. The story places surveillance alongside a developing connection shaped by art.

Directed by Tyler Woods and written by Theo Palmer-Marshallsay, the 2026 film has a five-minute runtime and features Mark Chapman, George Craik and Ivan Ivanov in the principal roles.

Artificial movie details

Story without spoilers

The film follows David, an undercover police officer tasked with keeping watch over a humanoid robot. During the assignment, an unexpected bond forms between them through their shared connection to art. The situation ultimately leads to a final task involving the creation of a painting, giving the brief drama a focused conflict between duty, identity and creative expression without revealing its outcome.

What to expect

Artificial combines drama and science fiction within a compact five-minute format. Its premise centers on artificial intelligence, a robot and a police-monitoring assignment, while art provides the basis for the relationship at the heart of the story. Viewers can expect a tightly focused narrative rather than an expansive world-building exercise.

Cast and creative team

Mark Chapman plays David, the undercover cop at the center of the story. George Craik portrays The Robot, while Ivan Ivanov plays Micheal. Tyler Woods directs Artificial, from a screenplay by Theo Palmer-Marshallsay.

• Mark Chapman as David
• George Craik as The Robot
• Ivan Ivanov as Micheal

Release and production context

Artificial is listed as a 2026 release from the United Kingdom, with a release date of October 1, 2026. It has a runtime of five minutes and is classified as a drama and science-fiction film. The supplied production information does not list a production company or spoken language.

Reported production figures:
Budget $1,178

Movies Dock view

With its short runtime and focused premise, Artificial presents a contained story about surveillance, a humanoid robot and the unexpected role of art in their interaction. Its appeal rests primarily on that concise setup and the question of what the final painting task means for the assignment.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb