Kore-eda Challenges AI Dystopia in ‘Sheep in the Box’

Palme d’Or-winning Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for examining family, grief and memory, moves into near-future science fiction with “Sheep in the Box.” Inspired by Chinese businesses using AI to recreate images and videos of the dead, the film follows architect Otone and her husband Kensuke, who receive a humanoid modeled on their seven-year-old son two years after his death. Instead of framing artificial intelligence as an apocalyptic threat, Kore-eda uses the robot to test how mourning, imagination and emotional attachment can reshape the boundaries of family.

The 126-minute film premiered in competition at the 79th Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2026, before TOHO and GAGA released it in Japan on May 29. At a June 4 press conference in Seoul, Kore-eda said the film asks audiences to imagine what remains unseen; Rimu Kuwaki, cast as the robot child Kakeru, was selected from more than 200 candidates. Fuji Television Network, GAGA, TOHO and AOI Pro. presented the production, while GAGA handles international sales. No production budget or transaction value was disclosed.