The Ridley Scott Post-Apocalyptic Thriller That Books Fans Have Been Waiting on for a Decade Releases This Month

Ridley Scott is one of the most beloved directors of all time, and his post-apocalyptic thriller is finally releasing this month over a decade after the book it’s based on was published. Post-apocalyptic films are always popular, and this will be the first time that we see Scott’s take on the genre, which is surprising considering how many sci-fi movies he has made.

Although Scott’s first feature was 1977’s The Duelists, he really gained prominence with the release of his second film: 1979’s Alien. Scott continued to make massive hits from the 1980s through the 2000s, including films like Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and more. However, Scott hasn’t slowed down at all in recent years. Arguably, he’s sped up. Scott has already released four films in the 2020s, those being 2021’s The Last Duel, 2021’s House of Gucci, 2023’s Napoleon, and 2024’s Gladiator II. Now, Scott is back in 2026 for a new movie: The Dog Stars.

Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars Hits Theaters On August 28, 2026

The Dog Stars will be released on August 28, 2026, having been pushed back from its original release date of March 27, 2026. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world that was destroyed by a deadly flu pandemic, wiping out much of humanity. Presumably years later, it follows a former civilian pilot and his friend, a former Marine, as they attempt to survive the devastated world and stay safe from outsiders.

The Dog Stars is one of the most exciting movies of the year, as movies from Ridley Scott are always a highlight when they’re released. Despite how fast Scott produces his movies, they always tend to be really good, even if they’re not all classics like Alien or Blade Runner. It has been almost two years since Gladiator II was released, meaning that Scott has had plenty of time to perfect The Dog Stars, making it one of his most exciting films in recent years.

The Cast Of The Dog Stars, Explained

The Dog Stars has a star-studded cast, with this being one of the things that is most exciting about the film. The film’s main characters are portrayed by Euphoria‘s Jacob Elordi and No Country for Old Men‘s Josh Brolin, with their faces being plastered all over the trailers and marketing. Elordi will be starring in the film as pilot Hig, while Brolin will be playing Marine Bangley.

The supporting cast of The Dog Stars is just as impressive. The Substance‘s Margaret Qualley will be playing Hig’s love interest, and Memento‘s Guy Pearce will be playing her father. Plus, Juno‘s Allison Janney and Doctor Strange‘s Benedict Wong will be appearing in the film in undisclosed roles.

How Does The Dog Stars Compare To Other Ridley Scott Movies?

The Dog Stars is a unique film for Ridley Scott, as it will be the director’s first post-apocalyptic film. It’ll be interesting to see an iconic director tackle a wholly new genre so late into his career, with this being one of the most exciting aspects of the film. Scott has done plenty of sci-fi films set in dystopian futures, such as the Alien and Blade Runner movies. The philosophical aspect of this is especially explored in Scott’s Alien prequel films, and it is possible that he could be using The Dog Stars to scratch this itch after not making a sequel to Alien: Covenant.

Since the 2020s, Scott has only made historical films, only one of which is fiction. The Last Duel, House of Gucci, and Napoleon all tell true stories, while Gladiator II is a historical fiction film that acts as a sequel to his 2000 hit. Since the beginning, Scott has mostly alternated between hard sci-fi and historical fiction, with The Dog Stars seeming like an exciting break from this. The Dog Stars does have sci-fi elements with its fictitious flu strain, but even this isn’t too much of a stretch of what is possible.

Upon its release, it’ll be interesting to see how The Dog Stars compares to Scott’s other works critically. Through the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, Scott’s films were mostly critical hits. Scott did have some hits in the 2010s, such as The Martian, but most of his films were incredibly divisive, like Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Fewer were very poorly received, like Exodus: Gods and Kings. The same has been true for the 2020s, with The Last Duel getting critical acclaim, and House of Gucci, Napoleon, and Gladiator II getting mixed reception.