Searchlight Pictures' 'Rental Family,' starring Brendan Fraser, and the Sundance-winning documentary 'Cutting Through Rocks' lead a slate of new indie releases hitting theaters on November 21, 2025. These films arrive amid competition from Universal's blockbuster 'Wicked: For Good,' with most indies opting for limited openings. Both titles have earned strong critical acclaim, positioning them as highlights for specialty audiences.
Overview
Several independent films are debuting in limited theatrical release on November 21, 2025, including the comedy 'Rental Family' and the documentary 'Cutting Through Rocks.' These releases come from distributors like Searchlight Pictures and Gandom Films, focusing on intimate stories rather than wide competition with major studio tentpoles.
'Rental Family' Details
Directed by Japanese filmmaker Hikari, 'Rental Family' is set in modern-day Tokyo and follows an out-of-work American actor, played by Brendan Fraser, who joins a 'rental family' agency to portray stand-in roles for clients. The film explores themes of connection and authenticity as the protagonist forms real bonds. Co-starring Takehiro Hira, Akira Emoto, Mari Yamamoto, and Shino Shinozaki, the 87-minute family comedy has received 87% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and is rolling out in select theaters.
'Cutting Through Rocks' Highlights
This documentary, directed by Iranian American filmmakers Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, profiles Sara Shahverdi, the first elected female councilwoman in her Iranian village. Shahverdi works to challenge patriarchal norms by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles, preventing child marriages, and promoting female land ownership. Winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary, it opens at New York City's Film Forum with expansion to other cities starting December 5. The film holds a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from 21 reviews and has collected awards at over 50 international festivals, including Woodstock and DOC NYC.
Other Notable Releases
Additional indies include Music Box Films' 'Zodiac Killer Project,' a Sundance NEXT Innovator Award winner directed by Charlie Shackleton, which deconstructs true crime obsessions and opens at IFC Center. Bleecker Street's 'Rebuilding,' starring Josh O'Connor and directed by Max Walker-Silverman, begins a slow rollout from two New York theaters. Sony Pictures Classics launches an Oscar-qualifying run for animated biopic 'A Magnificent Life' (original French title 'Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol') in New York and Los Angeles. Obscured Releasing's debut, 'Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter,' executive produced by Jamie Lee Curtis, opened earlier in the week in Los Angeles and New York.
These releases emphasize diverse storytelling in the indie space, with strong festival pedigrees and critical support, though they largely avoid direct overlap with 'Wicked: For Good's' massive opening.