RLJE Films has acquired the alien thriller, Descendent, ahead of its world premiere at SXSW.

The film follows “Sean Bruner, a man racked by trauma as the birth of his first child approaches. Discovering a mysterious beam of light during a graveyard shift, Bruner reawakens with visions of extraterrestrials and a slippery sense of reality.”

It is written and directed by Peter Cilella. It stars “The Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead) and Sarah Bolger (Mayans of M.C.).

“We look forward to releasing Descendent alongside Peter Cilella, who delivers a gripping fusion of suspense and sci-fi, offering audiences a deeply personal story wrapped in cosmic fears that harkens to Fire in the Sky,” said Mark Ward, chief acquisitions officer of RLJE Films. “With its haunting atmosphere, the film taps into primal fears of parenthood, destiny, and forces beyond our control.”

It is set to release in North America later this year.

Source: Variety