# The Dog Stars (film)
**The Dog Stars** is a 2026 American post-apocalyptic thriller directed by [Ridley Scott](https://www.edgepedia.org/ridley-scott), adapted from Peter Heller's 2012 novel of the same name and released by 20th Century Studios on August 28, 2026.[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars) It stars [Jacob Elordi](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacob-elordi) as Hig, a pilot surviving with his dog Jasper and a former Marine named Bangley on an isolated Colorado airstrip after a flu pandemic has decimated the population, until a mysterious radio transmission leads him to venture out in search of other survivors.[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / screenwriter | Ridley Scott; screenplay by Mark L. Smith[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars) |
| Source | Peter Heller's 2012 novel *The Dog Stars*[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars) |
| Release | August 28, 2026 (theaters); digital October 27, 2026; Blu-ray December 1, 2026[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars) |
| Cast | Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong, Allison Janney[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars) |
| Setting | Colorado in 2035, after a deadly flu pandemic and a debilitating blood disease among survivors[2](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/) |
| Rating / runtime | R; 1 hour 58 minutes[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars) |
| Reception | About 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, a C+ CinemaScore, and an $8 million domestic opening[3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/global/box-office-the-dog-stars-bombs-spider-man-brand-new-day-39832/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and setting
The film is set in 2035, in the aftermath of a deadly flu pandemic that decimated the earth's population and left many survivors with a debilitating blood disease. Food, fuel, and medicine are scarce, and trust has become a valuable commodity.[2](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/) Hig (Jacob Elordi), a sensitive former mechanic, and Bangley ([Josh Brolin](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-brolin)), a hyper-vigilant former Marine, share a defensible homestead converted from a deserted airstrip in Eerie, Colorado. Hig scouts for survivors and supplies with his dog Jasper; Bangley treats any outsider as a threat.[2](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/)
After Hig hears a cryptic radio transmission, he leaves Bangley behind and flies out to find who is on the other end. His search leads to an isolated canyon home occupied by Pops ([Guy Pearce](https://www.edgepedia.org/guy-pearce)), a military-minded recluse, and his daughter Cima ([Margaret Qualley](https://www.edgepedia.org/margaret-qualley)), who offers Hig genuine human connection.[2](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/) The story also features a hidden Mennonite farming community led by Aaron ([Benedict Wong](https://www.edgepedia.org/benedict-wong)), and a third-act sequence centered on Darlene, played by Allison Janney.[2](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/) • [4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/25/the-dog-stars-ridley-scott-review) Scott described the film's central tension as how much humanity survivors are willing to sacrifice to stay alive, and said he intended the film to be hopeful.[2](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/) • [5](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-08-26/ridley-scott-director-dog-stars-alien-blade-runner-gladiator-artificial-intelligence-ai)
## Production
In November 2024, *The Dog Stars* was reported as Ridley Scott's next film for 20th Century Studios, with [Paul Mescal](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-mescal), then the headliner of *Gladiator II*, in advanced negotiations to star and Mark L. Smith writing the adaptation.[6](https://www.thewrap.com/paul-mescal-in-advanced-talks-to-star-in-ridley-scotts-the-dog-stars/) Jacob Elordi ultimately took the lead role and remained attached through scheduling changes, with production beginning in Italy in April 2025.[7](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/news/dog-stars-trailer-jacob-elordi-ridley-scott-josh-brolin-35572/) [Principal photography](https://www.edgepedia.org/principal-photography) ran from April to June 2025.[2](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/)
**Budget and locations.** The Guardian and the *Denver Post* reported a budget of $110 million; Variety put the production cost at more than $80 million.[4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/25/the-dog-stars-ridley-scott-review) • [8](https://edition.pagesuite.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=2dfc5c32-f59d-47ae-924d-77002763c469) • [3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/global/box-office-the-dog-stars-bombs-spider-man-brand-new-day-39832/) Although the story is set in Colorado, the film was shot in Italy, with the Dolomite mountains standing in for the Rockies and rural Italy doubling for rural America.[9](https://apnews.com/article/d036ad9c2d217c315dda124d215b195b) • [4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/25/the-dog-stars-ridley-scott-review) Heller's 1956 Cessna, flown by Hig in the novel, carries over into the film as a central element of the story.[10](https://5280.com/peter-heller-dog-stars-movie-ridley-scott/)
## Release and reception
The film opened in Italian theaters on August 26, 2026, two days ahead of its United States release on August 28.[11](https://fvgfilmcommission.com/news/il-26-agosto-esce-the-dog-stars-il-thriller-post-apocalittico-di-ridley-scott-girato-sulle-rive-del-tagliamento/) • [1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars) It had been scheduled for the end of March 2026 before being moved to the end of August.[4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/25/the-dog-stars-ridley-scott-review)
**Critical response was mixed to negative.** The film debuted to roughly 39 to 41 percent on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, Scott's lowest score since *Exodus: Gods and Kings* in 2014, alongside a warmer audience score of about 70 percent on the Popcornmeter and a C+ CinemaScore.[12](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/despite-positive-early-reactions-ridley-scotts-new-sci-fi-movie-debuts-to-his-lowest-rotten-tomatoes-score-in-12-years/) • [13](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-dog-stars-first-reviews/) • [3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/global/box-office-the-dog-stars-bombs-spider-man-brand-new-day-39832/) Critics consistently praised the cinematography and the ensemble cast while criticizing the script as unengaging and the story as overly familiar within the post-apocalyptic genre.[13](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-dog-stars-first-reviews/) • [14](https://comicbook.com/movies/news/the-dog-stars-rotten-tomatoes-score-is-ridley-scotts-lowest-in-12-years/) The Guardian's Benjamin Lee called it a "misfire" in a two-star review, arguing the survival beats were too familiar; [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter)'s David Rooney, by contrast, called it an appealingly mellow watch and argued it was arguably Scott's best film since *The Martian* eleven years earlier.[4](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/25/the-dog-stars-ridley-scott-review) • [13](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-dog-stars-first-reviews/)
**Box office.** The film opened to an estimated $8 million domestically from 3,330 theaters, which Variety characterized as a bomb, drawing comparison to Scott's 2021 film *The Last Duel*, which opened to $4.7 million against a budget of about $100 million.[3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/global/box-office-the-dog-stars-bombs-spider-man-brand-new-day-39832/) The film was released on digital on October 27, 2026 and on Blu-ray on December 1, 2026.[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars)
## References
1. [The Dog Stars, 20th Century Studios](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/the-dog-stars)
2. [Ridley Scott and Josh Brolin on 'The Dog Stars' and What It Means to Remain Human After the End of the World, The Walt Disney Company](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/the-dog-stars/)
3. [Box Office: 'The Dog Stars' Bombs With $8 Million, Variety](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/global/box-office-the-dog-stars-bombs-spider-man-brand-new-day-39832/)
4. [The Dog Stars review – Ridley Scott's lethargic postapocalyptic drama is a misfire, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/25/the-dog-stars-ridley-scott-review)
5. [Ridley Scott isn't thinking about legacy. He's too busy, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-08-26/ridley-scott-director-dog-stars-alien-blade-runner-gladiator-artificial-intelligence-ai)
6. [Paul Mescal in Advanced Talks to Star in Ridley Scott's 'The Dog Stars', TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/paul-mescal-in-advanced-talks-to-star-in-ridley-scotts-the-dog-stars/)
7. ['The Dog Stars' Trailer: Jacob Elordi Survives the Apocalypse, Variety](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/news/dog-stars-trailer-jacob-elordi-ridley-scott-josh-brolin-35572/)
8. [Ridley Scott brings Colorado author's 'The Dog Stars' to life, The Denver Post](https://edition.pagesuite.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=2dfc5c32-f59d-47ae-924d-77002763c469)
9. [Movie Review: A tender love story with postapocalyptic teeth in Ridley Scott's 'The Dog Stars', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/d036ad9c2d217c315dda124d215b195b)
10. [Peter Heller on Watching Ridley Scott Bring The Dog Stars to Life, 5280](https://5280.com/peter-heller-dog-stars-movie-ridley-scott/)
11. [Il 26 agosto esce The Dog Stars, FVG Film Commission](https://fvgfilmcommission.com/news/il-26-agosto-esce-the-dog-stars-il-thriller-post-apocalittico-di-ridley-scott-girato-sulle-rive-del-tagliamento/)
12. [Despite positive early reactions, Ridley Scott's new sci-fi movie debuts to his lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in 12 years, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/despite-positive-early-reactions-ridley-scotts-new-sci-fi-movie-debuts-to-his-lowest-rotten-tomatoes-score-in-12-years/)
13. [The Dog Stars First Reviews, Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-dog-stars-first-reviews/)
14. [The Dog Stars Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Ridley Scott's Lowest In 12 Years, ComicBook.com](https://comicbook.com/movies/news/the-dog-stars-rotten-tomatoes-score-is-ridley-scotts-lowest-in-12-years/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Science fiction and fantasy films (individual works) › Science fiction and fantasy films of the 2020s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license