Hangnail (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

In Hangnail, a college professor faces escalating chaos after his coworker disappears and he meets a homeless man who looks remarkably like him. This 17-minute comedy-thriller, directed by Spencer Welch, pairs an identity-driven premise with a compact runtime and an English-language American production.

Hangnail is a 2026 comedy-thriller centered on a college professor whose ordinary life is disrupted by two unsettling developments: the disappearance of a coworker and the arrival of a homeless man who closely resembles him.

Written and directed by Spencer Welch, with co-writer Andres Valdez, the short film uses its 17-minute runtime to set up a story involving jealousy, mistaken identity and mounting disorder. Its tagline, “Jealousy loves company,” hints at the tension behind the premise without revealing how events unfold.

Hangnail movie details

Story without spoilers

The story follows a college professor after his coworker goes missing. His situation becomes increasingly complicated when he encounters a homeless man bearing an uncanny resemblance to him. As the two developments collide, the professor’s life begins to spiral into chaos.

The supplied synopsis keeps the film’s outcome and specific circumstances undisclosed, so Hangnail is best approached as a compact mystery-driven comedy-thriller built around resemblance, disruption and jealousy.

What to expect

Hangnail is classified as both a comedy and a thriller, suggesting a blend of uneasy circumstances and lighter tonal elements. The premise focuses on a missing coworker, a striking lookalike and the destabilizing effect their presence has on a college professor’s life.

With a runtime of 17 minutes, the film presents its central conflict in short-form storytelling rather than feature length. The tagline points toward jealousy as an important element, while the available synopsis leaves the precise nature of the chaos open.

Cast and creative team

Spencer Welch directs Hangnail and plays Andrew Fitcher, the college professor at the center of the story. Julian Alarcon appears as Mark / Homeless Man. The cast also includes Sam Snyder as Trevor, Justin Hierstein as Wesley, Hayden Snell as John (The Dean), Andres Valdez as Kyle Ford and Serra Casares-Chavez as Jessica.

Welch wrote the film with Andres Valdez. The supplied credits identify De Luca Film as the production company.

• Spencer Welch as Andrew Fitcher
• Julian Alarcon as Mark / Homeless Man
• Sam Snyder as Trevor
• Justin Hierstein as Wesley
• Hayden Snell as John (The Dean)
• Andres Valdez as Kyle Ford
• Serra Casares-Chavez as Jessica

Release and production context

Hangnail is listed as a 2026 release with a release date of September 19, 2026. It is marked as released and has a runtime of 17 minutes. The film was produced in the United States of America and is in English.

Production companies: De Luca Film

Reported production figures:
Budget $500

Hangnail official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

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Hangnail offers a tightly framed premise for a short comedy-thriller: a professor’s life is unsettled by a missing coworker and an apparent double. Its brief runtime, focused setup and small credited cast give the film a clear short-form identity without revealing the direction of its story.

Film data:
TMDB