EXCLUSIVE: XYZ and CAA have inked key pre-sales at AFM on Anna Kendrick sci-fi-thriller Stowaway, including a multi-territory pact with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions.

Sony has taken rights in UK/Ire, Australia/NZ, Latin America, Eastern Europe, most of Asia and South Africa. Additional territories sold include the Middle East to Falcon Films, Benelux to Dutch Film Works (DFW), Russia to Volga, Pan Asian PTV to Fox Networks Group Asia, and Airlines to Cinesky Pictures.

In Stowaway, the crew of a spaceship headed to Mars discovers an accidental stowaway shortly after takeoff. Too far from Earth to turn back and with resources quickly dwindling, the ship’s medical researcher (Kendrick) emerges as the only dissenting voice against the group consensus that has already decided in favor of a grim outcome. The film is yet another female-fronted pic to sell well at AFM.

Stowaway, which is due to shoot spring 2019, is set to be the second film from writer-director Joe Penna and writer Ryan Morrison, whose debut Arctic premiered at Cannes where it was snapped up by Bleecker Street. Morrison will also serve as executive producer. Additional casting is underway.

XYZ Films will produce alongside RISE Pictures and Augenschein Filmproduktion. XYZ and CAA Media Finance are arranging financing and handling sales at the American Film Market.

At AFM XYZ is also selling titles including Synchronic, starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan, The Silencing starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Titan starring Lily Collins, and Vivarium starring Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg.

Kendrick is represented by CAA and Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner & Gellman. Penna and Morrison are represented by CAA, Management 360 and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren & Richman LLP.