Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda has commenced production on his latest feature film, *Sheep In The Box*, starring Ayase Haruka and Daigo. Ayase previously appeared in Kore-eda’s acclaimed film *Our Little Sister*, while Daigo, one of Japan’s leading comedians, takes on his first-ever leading role in a feature film with this project.

Following their collaboration on Kore-eda’s last feature, *Monster*, which premiered in the Cannes competition, *Sheep In The Box* will be sold internationally by Japan’s Gaga and France-based Goodfellas. Gaga is handling the Asian territories and, in collaboration with Goodfellas, the North American sales. Goodfellas manages distribution across Europe, the Middle East, CIS, Oceania, Latin America, and Africa.

Written and directed by Kore-eda, *Sheep In The Box* is set in the near future and follows a couple who takes in a state-of-the-art humanoid robot as their son. Kore-eda shares, “This project began with the idea of bringing the dead back to life using the latest technology. A few years ago, similar concepts were already featured on Japanese television programs and attracted considerable attention. I was interested in exploring the conflicting perspectives on how technological advancement clashes with human inner values.”

He continues, “In the spring of last year, I came across an article about the popularity of resurrection businesses in China; and in the fall, I met someone actually engaged in that field. It made me realize that such developments could occur in Japan as well. With technology evolving at a pace far beyond what I had imagined, I felt that this reality might arrive sooner than expected.”

*Sheep In The Box* is being produced by Gaga alongside Fuji Television Network, Toho, and AOI Pro. Toho will also handle distribution in Japan. The film’s title draws inspiration from the world-famous French children’s novel, *The Little Prince*.

Filming began earlier this month and is currently underway. The film is expected to be released in Japan in 2026.
https://deadline.com/2025/09/hirokazu-kore-eda-sheep-in-the-box-gaga-goodfellas-1236563645/