Journey to Japan and into the heart of human connection as Searchlight Pictures releases the critically-acclaimed Rental Family when the film arrives on DVD and Blu-ray™ on March 16, 2026.
Set in modern-day Tokyo, HIKARI’s Rental Family stars Academy Award®–winning Brendan Fraser as a has-been American actor searching for purpose and belonging in a society where he feels increasingly adrift. An unexpected acting call leads him to a “rental family” agency, where he is hired to play stand-in roles for strangers seeking connection. As performance begins to blur with reality, the immersive role-playing awakens his humanity and compassion, drawing him deeply into his clients’ lives and pushing him off-script whenever his empathetic heart takes over.
In case you missed it at the cinema, watch the official trailer in the player below:
The film channels the emotional depth of award-winning director, producer, and co-writer HIKARI (Beef, Tokyo Vice, 37 Seconds), who believes cinema “allows us to view others with empathy, creates space for conversation, and see parts of ourselves we did not know existed.”
In our five-star review of the film Matt says “Rental Family is a bright and loud reminder that simply being there for somebody is a powerful act of compassion, proving that even a rented connection can lead to real, permanent connection.“
Produced by Eddie Vaisman, p.g.a, Julia Lebedev, p.g.a, HIKARI, p.g.a, and Shin Yamaguchi, p.g.a, Rental Family also stars Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Gorman, and Akira Emoto.
Searchlight Pictures’ Rental Family has captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike, praised as “supremely sweet and touching” (Robbie Collin, The Telegraph) and “clever, funny and heartwarming” (Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter). The film is also certified on Rotten Tomatoes® as Verified Hot with a 96% Popcornmeter score and holds an 88% Certified Fresh Tomatometer rating from critics.
Audiences of all ages can embrace the refreshing warmth and humanity of Rental Familywhenever they’re in need of humour and connection, now available to add to your movie collection on DVD and Blu-ray™.
Blu-ray™ Bonus Features
- Featurette: Rental Family Revealed — Go behind the scenes with Brendan Fraser, director HIKARI, and the Japanese cast as they explore friendship, culture, found family, and filming in Japan in this intimate look at the making of Rental Family.
- Deleted/Extended Scenes:
- Columbus
- Crying Session
- Apology
- Aiko’s First Client
- Clearbright
- Tickets
- Audition
- Phone Call
- Final Montage
