Magnolia Pictures genre arm nabs Cannes thriller for US from Focus International.

The Wagner/Cuban Company’s Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, has acquired US distribution rights to Ruairi Robinson’s Cannes sci-fi Last Days on Mars from Focus Features International.

Liev Schreiber, Elias Koteas, Romola Garai, Olivia Williams and Tom Cullen star in the Directors’ Fortnight entry about the first manned mission to mars which comes under attack from an alien life-from. 

The deal was negotiated by Magnolia/Magnet svp of acquisitions Dori Begley and director of acquisitions Peter Van Steemburg with Focus Features International.

Magnet is eyeing a release through its Ultra VOD programme later this year.

Producers are Michael Kuhn and Andrea Cornwell. The film marks the feature debut of Robinson, Oscar-nominated for short Fifty Percent Grey.