According to Brendan Fraser himself, he rented a hedgehog for a day while filming, in keeping with the theme of the film.
rental families have been around in Japan since the 1980s and added that there are about 300 companies that offer clients with professional actors to portray friends, family members or co-workers at events like weddings
The film has been in development since 2019.In November 2023, Brendan Fraser was set to star in the film with Hikari directing from a script she co-wrote with Stephen Blahut. In March 2024, Mari Yamamoto, Takehiro Hira, and Akira Emoto joined the cast.
Principal photography began in Japan on March 12 and wrapped in late May
An international co-production between the United States and Japan, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025, and was released in the United States by Searchlight Pictures on November 21, 2025.
Film debut of Shannon Gorman.