His first film since 2024’s Gladiator II, Ridley Scott returns with post-apocalyptic sci-fi The Dog Stars, based on the novel by Peter Heller and starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, and Margaret Qualley.
Set to be released on 28th August, here’s everything we know about The Dog Stars, with the trailer below for you to watch.
The Dog Stars plot sees the aftermath of a deadly flu pandemic
Picture this. The majority of humanity has been wiped out by a deadly flu virus. Too soon? Well, The Dog Stars blends together pandemic stories with something akin to 28 Days Later, except the “Reapers” are merely murderous scavengers terrorising other survivors.
Jacob Elordi stars as Hig, a pilot who survived the flu that killed his wife and much of the world’s population. Living in a hanger with his dog, his only human interaction is ex-Marine Bangley (Brolin). When a transmission comes through the radio, Hig and Bangley set off, fueled by the hope for a better life.
What is the release date for The Dog Stars?
The Dog Stars will be released at Cineworld on 28th August.
Who is in The Dog Stars cast?
- Jacob Elordi as Hig
- Josh Brolin as Bangley
- Margaret Qualley as Cima
- Guy Pearce as Pops
Is The Dog Stars based on a novel?
Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars is a book to screen adaptation of Peter Heller’s novel of the same name, published in 2012.
Will The Dog Stars be released in special formats?
The Dog Stars will be released in IMAX, though all other special formats are yet to be confirmed at Cineworld.
Paul Mescal was originally meant to star in The Dog Stars
Having worked together on Gladiator II, Paul Mescal was lined up to play the main role of Hig in The Dog Stars. However, he was later replaced by Jacob Elordi due to scheduling conflicts related to his role in Sam Mendes’ The Beatles quartet of biopics.
Brolin was almost put off by Scott’s limited rehearsal style
Speaking to Empire, Josh Brolin revealed he nearly quit The Dog Stars on his first day of rehearsal when he didn’t align with Ridley Scott’s vision. Scott often approaches filming with limited rehearsal prior, wanting to capture the immediate energy and often filming with multiple cameras at a time.
Speaking on Scott’s approach, Brolin said: “Ridley was talking a lot of stories and not really rehearsing, and it bugged me out, and I got really scared. I went back, called my agent and said, ‘I want out. Something’s really wrong, and I’ve got to get the [expletive] out of here.’”
Scott drew him back in, though, Brolin explains. “[Ridley] goes, ‘Come here,’ and he brought me into his trailer, and played the scene we had just finished. It was a really good, very dynamic scene between me and Jacob, and he goes, ‘Okay?’ I go, ‘Okay,’ and then I started to feed off that.”
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