RLJE Acquires Benson and Moorhead-Produced Alien Thriller ‘Descendent’ Ahead of SXSW Premiere

“Descendent,” an L.A.-set thriller about an elementary school security guard unraveling after a close encounter, has been picked up by RLJE Films ahead of the feature’s debut at SXSW. The distributor is setting a theatrical release for North America later in 2025. Highland Film Groups has taken international rights.

“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,” said writer and director Peter Cilella. “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.”

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/rlje-acquires-descendent-sxsw-1236328628/