RLJE Films has secured North American rights to DESCENDENT, the highly anticipated feature debut from writer-director Peter Cilella, starring Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead, Invincible) and Sarah Bolger (Mayans M.C.). The gripping sci-fi thriller will have its world premiere at SXSW ahead of a theatrical release later in 2025. International rights are managed by Highland Film Group.

Set in modern-day Los Angeles, DESCENDENT centers around Sean Bruner (Marquand), a school security guard grappling with unresolved childhood trauma as he awaits the birth of his first child with wife Andrea (Bolger). After encountering a mysterious beam of light during a late-night shift, Sean wakes up in a hospital possessing an inexplicable gift for creating vivid, unsettling drawings of aliens and desolate landscapes. As his visions intensify, the boundary between dreams and reality collapses, forcing Sean to confront deep-rooted fears and his family’s troubling legacy.

A quick quote about Descendent’s SXSW trip

Director Peter Cilella said, “This film was a labor of love, and I could not be more thrilled to partner with RLJE Films to bring DESCENDENT to SXSW and beyond. It truly takes a village to bring a project like this to life, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make it possible.”