Idling (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Idling follows Frank after a car breakdown leaves him stranded in a bleak winter landscape. With mechanic Barry’s help, he enters an underground parking garage where unusual rules and trapped strangers turn a routine repair into an unsettling thriller.

Idling is a 2026 thriller directed by Theodore Ushev and written by Chris Robinson. The film begins with a straightforward roadside problem but places its characters in an increasingly unusual setting: a vast underground parking garage governed by unexplained rules.

Antoine Olivier Pilon leads the cast as Frank Remley, with Dominique Pinon as Cardinal Barry and Zoé Adjani as Lightning Girl. The Bulgarian-Canadian production is presented in French, English and Bulgarian and has a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Idling movie details

Story without spoilers

Frank’s car breaks down in a bleak winter landscape, leaving him in need of assistance. Mechanic Barry arrives and attempts to help, but repairing the vehicle requires taking it into a labyrinthine underground parking garage.

The garage is not an ordinary place. It operates according to strange rules, and Frank and Barry encounter other unfortunate people who appear to be trapped there. The setup shifts the story from a practical roadside repair to a mystery centered on confinement, unusual circumstances and the men’s efforts to understand the environment around them.

What to expect

As a thriller, Idling is built around an isolated breakdown, an unfamiliar underground location and a set of rules that shape what can happen inside it. The premise suggests a contained mystery with an unsettling atmosphere, while the presence of apparently trapped people broadens the situation beyond Frank’s original problem.

The film’s unusual setting is central to its identity. Rather than relying on a conventional journey, the story places its characters in a labyrinthine garage whose structure and restrictions create the main source of tension. No further plot or ending details are supplied.

Cast and creative team

Antoine Olivier Pilon plays Frank Remley, the driver whose car breaks down. Dominique Pinon portrays Cardinal Barry, the mechanic who comes to Frank’s aid, while Zoé Adjani appears as Lightning Girl.

Theodore Ushev directs Idling from a screenplay by Chris Robinson.

• Antoine Olivier Pilon as Frank Remley
• Dominique Pinon as Cardinal Barry
• Zoé Adjani as Lightning Girl

Release and production context

Idling is listed as a 2026 release with a release date of November 5, 2026. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes and is classified as a thriller. The film is associated with Bulgaria and Canada, with spoken dialogue in French, English and Bulgarian. Production companies include PREMIERstudio and Bravo Charlie.

Production companies: PREMIERstudio, Bravo Charlie

Movies Dock view

Idling pairs a familiar roadside predicament with a highly unusual enclosed setting. Its story details establish a thriller shaped by mystery, confinement and strange rules, while its multilingual Bulgarian-Canadian production context and focused cast give the film a distinct profile. Further details about its resolution are not provided.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb