Riz Ahmed’s Paranoid Thriller ‘Relay’ Lands at Bleecker Street

Bleecker Street has picked up the U.S. rights to Relay, a gritty corporate whistleblowing thriller from director David MacKenzie that stars Riz Ahmed, Lily James and Sam Worthingon.

Written by Justin Piasecki, Relay stars Ahmed as a fixer who specializes in brokering deals between whistleblowers and endangered corporations. He keeps his identity a secret and follows an exacting set of rules, only to see a message from a potential client, played by James, have him seek protection as the rules of the game quickly change and a dangerous cat-and-mouse chase involving his latest client escalates.

After a world bow in Toronto, Bleecker Street has set a 2025 theatrical release for the film.

Relay was financed by Black Bear, which produces alongside Thunder Road Pictures and Sigma Films. Producers include Basil Iwanyk, Gillian Berrie, Teddy Schwarzman and MacKenzie. Executive producers are Michael Heimler, John Friedberg, Erica Lee and Charlie Morrison.

The distribution deal was negotiated by Bleecker Street’s Kent Sanderson and Avy Eschenasy, with UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance representing the filmmakers. Black Bear is handling the international rights to the film.

Bleecker Street’s film release slate includes The Return, starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche; Hard Truths, from director Mike Leigh and starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste; and Love Me, starring Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun.

Other upcoming titles include Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet, starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran; and the comedy Fackham Hall from Jim O’Hanlon, now under production in the U.K .