The End of Oak Street is one of those 2026 movie releases that maybe not everyone saw when it first came out, but I think it’s a hidden gem that will have a second life. Especially now that it’s available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. I liked it so much when I first saw it over the summer that I just decided to rewatch it, and now I have to mention one sci-fi easter egg that’s hidden in plain sight.
The movie starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor is an original sci-fi story that feels like it's honoring the genre’s powerhouse era by being set in the 1980s. So, it’s unsurprising Battlestar Galactica might serve as an inspiration. And, back in July, when CinemaBlend attended a Q&A with the filmmakers, the writer/director David Robert Mitchell disclosed how he references the series with the family dog. As he shared:
It's Battlestar Galactica. I love Starbuck… I have dogs. I know that the way that we see the world, and the ways in which they help connect family and I think that seeing the movie connecting with Starbuck helps us be drawn in [to the story].
So, if you thought Starbuck was named after the chain coffee company, may this confirm otherwise. Plus, Starbucks wasn’t even a household name until the 1990s. It does, however, make sense that the Platt family might name their family dog after a character in a TV show they might watch together. They could have easily watched the original Battlestar Galactica, which made an impression in the late 1970s despite only running for one season. Dirk Benedict played the leading role of Starbuck, who is pictured below:
The character of Starbuck ended up being revived in a big way when the show was rebooted in the early 2000s. This time, Starbuck was played by Katee Sackhoff, which was initially “booed” by fans who didn’t like the decision to gender swap. Now, she’s thought of as the most beloved character in the show alongside the original Starbuck.
Sadly, Battlestar Galactica was canceled due to being the most expensive TV show that had ever been produced at that point in time.
It was fun to rewatch The End of Oak Street and spend less time stressing over whether Starbuck dies or what the ending means. It allowed me to hone in on the details of the movie, and it really does feel like the filmmakers made it, in part, to showcase their love for ‘80s sci-fi.
The whole film reminds me of classics like Poltergeist, E.T., The Burbs and Gremlins. I’m sure there are other sci-fi references in there I didn’t notice, but for now I’m loving the detail of Starbuck.
