Ridley Scott is one of the most iconic filmmakers of all time, and Jacob Elordi is one of the biggest up-and-coming actors right now. While both of those are nothing new to anyone who watches movies, did you know that these two are teaming up for the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation of The Dog Stars? No? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because I’m about to break down everything we know about this new sci-fi film set in a post-apocalyptic world brought to the brink by a flu pandemic.
So, if you want to learn more about this hotly anticipated movie that will also see performances from the likes of Margaret Qualley and Josh Brolin, or how to check out Peter Heller’s novel on which it was based, come along. Here’s everything we know about The Dog Stars, including its release date, cast, and story. This one sounds mighty good…
What Is The Dog Stars Release Date?
So, when’s the Dog Stars release date? According to Deadline, the new post-apocalyptic thriller will land on the big screen on August 28, 2026. The movie was originally set to debut on the 2026 movie schedule in March, but Disney had a big reshuffling just before Christmas and moved several titles like Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, They Will Kill You, and Gatto, a new Pixar movie.
The Dog Stars is coming out on what’s shaping up to be a busy weekend near the end of the summer Blockbuster season, as Coyote vs. Acme and Cliffhanger will also be coming out. Looks like we’ll be going to the movies quite a bit next summer.
The Dog Stars Cast
When The Dog Stars opens before the end of next summer, it will bring with it an all-star cast of established Hollywood stars and one of the biggest young actresses on the planet, alongside Jacob Elordi. That said, let’s break down everyone on the Dog Stars cast who has been announced so far, per Variety:
- Jacob Elordi as Hig
- Margaret Qualley as Cima
- Josh Brolin
- Guy Pearce
- Benedict Wong
As of the time of this writing, only Elordi and Qualley’s characters’ names have been revealed, but we should know the other actors’ roles well ahead of the film’s release. It should also be noted that Golden Globe nominee Paul Mescal was originally set to lead The Dog Stars, but he had to drop out back in January 2025, per Variety.
What Is The Dog Stars About?
So, what is The Dog Stars about? We know it’s based on Peter Heller’s 2013novel of the same name, but what’s the nitty-gritty of the story?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming sci-fi flick will center on a pilot named Hig (Jacob Elordi), a civilian pilot living on an abandoned airbase with his trusty dog and a former Marine (played by Josh Brolin). Set years after a deadly flu pandemic wiped out most of human civilization, the pilot, Marine, and dog waste their days until a mysterious transmission gives them hope that there is hope for others somewhere on the desolated planet.
When speaking with Collider back in June 2025, Ridley Scott shared some details about the tone of the story, comparing it more to his 2015 adventure film The Martian than The Road:
It's a marvelous book. I put it in a similar vein in its simplicity and yet drama as The Martian. I wouldn't be doing it if it weren’t great. So, it is great. It's really about four people in a universe. I tend to use the phrase, ‘the end of the world just happened.’ That is how you survive. But it is not The Road.
Who knows, maybe we’ll be talking about The Dog Stars when the Golden Globe nominations for Best Musical or Comedy are announced next year.
How To Read (Or Listen To) The Dog Stars Book
There is still close to eight months until The Dog Stars lands on the big screen, which means there’s still plenty of time to read Peter Heller’s 2013 sci-fi novel while you wait. So, how do you go about making this happen? Well, there are a variety of ways to check out the much-talked-about book before the movie takes off.
You can pick up a paperback copy from online retailers like Amazon, traditional bookstores, and even your local library, if you want to save a few bucks. But what if you don’t have time to read a book and prefer to listen to audiobooks while commuting, exercising, or catching up on household chores? Well, there are options for that as well.
There’s no shortage of audiobooks to listen to before they’re turned into movies and TV shows, and The Dog Stars is another great option. You can use your Amazon subscription to access Audible audiobooks like this one. If you have Spotify Premium, you can also listen to the audiobook at no extra cost, as the subscription grants you 15 free hours of listening time per month.
Ridley Scott Isn’t The Only Decorated Behind-The-Scenes Player Invovled With The Dog Stars
There’s some massive talent in the Dog Stars cast, and Ridley Scott is a living legend at this point, but those aren’t the only major players involved with the upcoming Searchlight Pictures movie. As reported in the Deadline article above, Mark L. Smith and Christopher Wilkinson adapted Peter Heller’s novel. While those aren’t necessarily well-known names to general moviegoers, both have built up some decent resumes over the years.
Smith most recently wrote 2024’s Twisters, which should be a good sign for those wondering how the action will be written. He also penned the scripts for The Revenant, The Boys in the Boat, and Overlord in recent years. Wilkinson’s credits include Nixon, Ali, and Birth of the Dragon.
It should also be noted that Erik Messerschmidt, who won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography following his work on Mank, is serving as the director of photography on The Dog Stars. Messerchmidt previously worked with Scott on shows like Raised by Wolves and Dope Thief.
Production On The Dog Stars Wrapped In June 2025
In the Collider interview mentioned earlier, Ridley Scott revealed that not only had cameras started rolling on the film, but production was actually about to wrap. That said, it will probably be some time before we get to see a teaser trailer for the new movie, as there will surely be a great deal of post-production work needed in the weeks and months ahead.
Expect to hear a whole lot more about The Dog Stars in the coming weeks and months, especially as more details are announced about its story and cast.
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