Magnet Releasing has acquired U.S. rights to Ruairi Robinson’s sci-fi thriller The Last Days on Mars, starring Liev Schreiber, Elias Koteas, Romola Garai, Olivia Williams and Tom Cullen, The Hollywood Reporter said.

The film concerns the first manned mission to Mars, during which a crew member discovers fossilized evidence of bacterial life. When he and another colleague vanishes, the team starts to suspect that the life form they have discovered is not yet dead, and the group begins to fall apart as it awaits for a relief ship.

The film, produced by Michael Kuhn and Andrea Cornwell, was acquired from Focus Features International, which is handling worldwide sales on the film, which bowed in this year’s Director’s Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

“With a terrific ensemble cast and top-notch production values, The Last Days on Mars is an exceedingly well-made and frightening science fiction film that will be a real pleasure for fans of the genre,” said Eamonn Bowles, president of Magnolia, Magnet’s parent company.

Alison Thompson, co-president of Focus Features International, said: “After a successful Cannes premiere, we’re delighted to have Magnet onboard. They are a perfect fit for the film, and we have no doubt they will do an excellent job of ensuring that U.S. audiences embrace this exciting new filmmaker.”

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