Anna Kendrick to Star in Sci-Fi Thriller STOWAWAY

Anna Kendrick has signed on for the sci-fi thriller STOWAWAY, the second film from the duo behind the Cannes Official Selection Arctic. As with Arctic, the film will be directed by Joe Penna and co-written by Penna & Ryan Morrisson. Morrison will also serve as executive producer. XYZ Films will produce alongside RISE Pictures and augenschein Filmproduktion, with XYZ and CAA Media Finance handling financing and sales at the upcoming American Film Market.

Shortly after takeoff, the crew of a spaceship headed to Mars discovers an accidental stowaway. 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.

Kendrick, who is best known for her Oscar®-nominated role in Up in the Air and as the lead of the Pitch Perfect franchise, can currently be seen in theaters in the thriller A Simple Favor.

Joe Penna, who became one of YouTube's early stars through his MysteryGuitarMan channel, transitioned seamlessly into filmmaking with his feature directorial debut, Arctic. The film, which stars Mads Mikkelsen, premiered as part of the Official Selection at this year's Cannes Film Festival. North American rights were acquired by Bleecker Street Media (Collette, Disobedience, Captain Fantastic).

Stowaway marks the second collaboration between XYZ and Penna and Morrison following Arctic. XYZ will also continue sales at AFM on a number of 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 & 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.