Bleecker Street Takes U.S. Rights to Rachel Zegler-Led Psychological Thriller ‘NDA’

Bleecker Street has acquired U.S. rights to the psychological thriller “NDA,” building a new release pipeline around the project’s high-profile cast and debut filmmaker. The film stars Golden Globe winner Rachel Zegler, along with Penn Badgley and Amy Ryan, and it is currently in production in New York, according to Deadline and Variety.

The acquisition centers on Audrey Ellis Fox’s debut feature. Deadline reports that Fox previously worked in commercial directing, including Nike and Gatorade campaigns, before moving into narrative features. Variety similarly frames the film as Fox’s first feature, positioning “NDA” as her transition from brand work to long-form storytelling.

In advance of casting details and production schedules, the trade outlets also described Fox’s writing track record. Deadline says the project’s original script landed a spot on the 2024 Black List, and was selected for the 2023 Women in Film X Black List Feature Residency program, a path designed to surface emerging writers for development support.

The reported cast brings together actors known for both studio visibility and character-driven work. Zegler is cited by Variety for roles including “West Side Story” and “Evita.” Badgley’s involvement is noted by both Deadline and Variety, and Ryan’s participation is described as an Academy Award nominee in Variety’s account of the project.

For Bleecker Street, the deal adds another genre entry to its slate after it previously handled other independent and specialty releases. Deadline reports that Bleecker Street took U.S. rights, while the scope of the agreement outside the United States was not detailed in the coverage provided.

Deadline’s report also situates the purchase within Bleecker Street’s broader distribution activity, mentioning a separate thriller acquisition that it is working on with LD Team. That context underscores that “NDA” is part of a wider strategy to expand theatrical and specialty film access through packaging rights around recognizable performers and writer-directors.

No release date was provided in the articles, and neither outlet reported when filming is expected to wrap or when Bleecker Street plans to schedule a premiere. With production underway in New York, the next steps will likely involve completing principal photography, followed by post-production and marketing planning once the film is further developed.

Industry coverage of “NDA” may be watched by observers of development ecosystems tied to writer residencies and industry lists, since the project’s path through the Black List and Women in Film X Black List program was specifically highlighted. The film’s U.S. rights acquisition, meanwhile, sets the framework for where audiences will first be able to watch the final product once distribution timing is confirmed.

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