Japanese director Hikari to helm comedy-drama movie 'Rental Family'

Los Angeles: Japanese filmmaker Hikari will direct a new comedy-drama film for Disney-owned Searchlight Pictures.

According to entertainment news outlet Variety, the studio has picked up the rights to the project, titled "Rental Family", which has a script by Hikari and Stephen Blahut.

Hikari, most recently directed three episodes of Netflix's critically-acclaimed series "Beef", starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, will also produce the project.

"Rental Family" follows a down and out actor living in Tokyo, who is hired as a token American guy for a Japanese rental family company, leading him on an unexpected journey of self-discovery through the roles he plays in other people’s lives.

The project will be produced by Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedevof Sight Unseen as well as Shin Yamaguchi.

"Rental Family" will soon start principal photography in Japan.