Playback (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Playback is a 13-minute horror short centered on a couple whose home is disrupted by a mysterious camcorder. As the device exposes what they have tried to bury, James and Kate face increasingly terrifying consequences in a compact story written and directed by Joshua David Matthews.

Playback is a 2026 horror short about a couple whose private life takes a frightening turn when a mysterious camcorder appears in their home. The device seems connected to secrets they would rather leave buried.

Written and directed by Joshua David Matthews, the film has a brief 13-minute runtime and focuses its premise around James, Kate and a girl seen on tape. Its concise format points to a tightly contained supernatural or psychological horror setup.

Playback movie details

Story without spoilers

James and Kate discover a mysterious camcorder inside their home. What first appears to be an unexplained object becomes tied to their buried sins, which begin to manifest in terrifying ways. The story unfolds around the couple’s attempt to confront the disturbing implications of what the camera reveals, without giving away the film’s ending.

What to expect

Playback is presented as a compact horror story built around one unsettling object and the secrets surrounding a couple. The camcorder provides the central source of mystery, while the 13-minute runtime suggests a focused narrative rather than an expansive cast or setting. The premise combines domestic unease with the fear of hidden wrongdoing becoming impossible to ignore.

Cast and creative team

Brett Brooks plays James, while Erin Ownbey portrays Kate. Allison Peel is credited as Girl on Tape. Joshua David Matthews wrote and directed Playback.

• Brett Brooks as James
• Erin Ownbey as Kate
• Allison Peel as Girl on Tape

Release and production context

Playback is a horror film from 2026 with a listed release date of October 30, 2026. It runs for 13 minutes and is produced by Heebie-Jeebies Pictures. The supplied information does not specify a country or spoken language.

Production companies: Heebie-Jeebies Pictures

Playback official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

Movies Dock view

With its mysterious camcorder premise, small central cast and short runtime, Playback keeps its horror setup focused on a couple facing the consequences of what they have tried to hide. The film’s appeal rests in that contained mystery and the unsettling question of what the device will reveal.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb